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2 passenger exhibiting strange behavior leads to a domestic flight being met by law enforcement on arrival.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 563703 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200210 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : ord.airport |
| State Reference | IL |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 10000 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : c90.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | flight attendant : off duty observation : passenger other personnel other |
| Person 2 | |
| Function | observation : passenger |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | cabin event : passenger misconduct other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other other : cab 1 |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Passenger Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Passenger Human Performance |
Narrative:
Passenger X disrupted cabin past 1500 ft in ascent to FL330. Passenger X had taken an in-flight pillow, ripped it open and started throwing debris from the pillow into cabin. This sparked concern to the cabin crew due to the fact that disruption poses a potential for distraction tactic in lieu of a hijacking. In an effort to isolate events and evaluate activity, I intervened. After careful assessment of incident, I concluded that activity in question did not warrant diversion. Situation had been isolated and controled. Later, passenger X requested a pair of scissors and did not give reason for request. Passenger Y had taken a pillow case and placed it over his head like a clansman. The disruption was consistent and constituted level 1 threat. Informed captain and requested leo and customer service agent to meet flight upon arrival to gate. Situation was unacceptable and has the potential to present clear and present danger to passenger and crew. Attorney general had stated not to take any threat, no matter how small, lightly. Had there been a potential hijacker or terrorist on board, these events could have been exploited and taken advantage of.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: 2 PAX EXHIBITING STRANGE BEHAVIOR LEADS TO A DOMESTIC FLT BEING MET BY LAW ENFORCEMENT ON ARR.
Narrative: PAX X DISRUPTED CABIN PAST 1500 FT IN ASCENT TO FL330. PAX X HAD TAKEN AN INFLT PILLOW, RIPPED IT OPEN AND STARTED THROWING DEBRIS FROM THE PILLOW INTO CABIN. THIS SPARKED CONCERN TO THE CABIN CREW DUE TO THE FACT THAT DISRUPTION POSES A POTENTIAL FOR DISTR TACTIC IN LIEU OF A HIJACKING. IN AN EFFORT TO ISOLATE EVENTS AND EVALUATE ACTIVITY, I INTERVENED. AFTER CAREFUL ASSESSMENT OF INCIDENT, I CONCLUDED THAT ACTIVITY IN QUESTION DID NOT WARRANT DIVERSION. SIT HAD BEEN ISOLATED AND CTLED. LATER, PAX X REQUESTED A PAIR OF SCISSORS AND DID NOT GIVE REASON FOR REQUEST. PAX Y HAD TAKEN A PILLOW CASE AND PLACED IT OVER HIS HEAD LIKE A CLANSMAN. THE DISRUPTION WAS CONSISTENT AND CONSTITUTED LEVEL 1 THREAT. INFORMED CAPT AND REQUESTED LEO AND CUSTOMER SVC AGENT TO MEET FLT UPON ARR TO GATE. SIT WAS UNACCEPTABLE AND HAS THE POTENTIAL TO PRESENT CLR AND PRESENT DANGER TO PAX AND CREW. ATTORNEY GENERAL HAD STATED NOT TO TAKE ANY THREAT, NO MATTER HOW SMALL, LIGHTLY. HAD THERE BEEN A POTENTIAL HIJACKER OR TERRORIST ON BOARD, THESE EVENTS COULD HAVE BEEN EXPLOITED AND TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.