A United Express regional jet was forced to make an emergency landing in Indianapolis on Tuesday after a passenger attempted to open the cabin door mid-flight, according to federal officials.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating the incident, which occurred aboard United Airlines Flight 3989, operated by Mesa Airlines. The Embraer ERJ-175ER was en route to Houston when, just 15 minutes after takeoff, the pilot reported a belligerent passenger trying to open the cabin door.
“We have a belligerent passenger trying to open the cabin door,” the pilot told air traffic controllers, according to audio captured by ATC.com. “We have passengers trying to get him secured in a seat right now.”
The aircraft landed safely and taxied to the gate, where the disruptive passenger was removed. Airport police detained the individual, the Indianapolis Airport Authority confirmed. The flight later continued to Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport, arriving nearly two hours behind schedule.
The FAA noted that more than 830 unruly passengers have been reported so far this year. Recent similar incidents include a passenger who tried to open an exit door on a Frontier Airlines plane before being restrained by a fellow traveler trained in jiu-jitsu, and a United Airlines flight that diverted to Madison, Wisconsin, after a passenger made multiple attempts to breach the cockpit.
Disruptive passengers can face criminal charges and civil penalties exceeding $43,000 per violation, the FAA warned.
