An MD80 flight crew lands in an emergency condition due to 2 passenger fighting in the cabin.

Attributes
ACN	579617
Time
Date	200304
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : mrlin
State Reference	IL
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zma.artcc tower : dfw.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : holding
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	579617
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	cabin event : passenger misconduct
Independent Detector	other other : 3
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Passenger Human Performance Company
Primary Problem	Passenger Human Performance

Narrative:

Holding over mrlin intersection for arrival to fll, flight attendant called to report 2 passenger fighting in first class. Declared emergency and landed fll. Aircraft met at gate by law enforcement personnel. Debriefed by fll fbi. Note, fll operations instructed ground control to hold us off the ramp until the B757 on our assigned gate pushes. There were about 4 other open company gates. I reminded operations that I was an emergency aircraft, and that I am proceeding to the first open gate I see. Suddenly, they were able to accommodate us on the gate. I think operations personnel should receive training on handling emergency aircraft, especially when it is their own company and police vehicles are escorting the aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 FLT CREW LANDS IN AN EMER CONDITION DUE TO 2 PAX FIGHTING IN THE CABIN.

Narrative: HOLDING OVER MRLIN INTXN FOR ARR TO FLL, FLT ATTENDANT CALLED TO RPT 2 PAX FIGHTING IN FIRST CLASS. DECLARED EMER AND LANDED FLL. ACFT MET AT GATE BY LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL. DEBRIEFED BY FLL FBI. NOTE, FLL OPS INSTRUCTED GND CTL TO HOLD US OFF THE RAMP UNTIL THE B757 ON OUR ASSIGNED GATE PUSHES. THERE WERE ABOUT 4 OTHER OPEN COMPANY GATES. I REMINDED OPS THAT I WAS AN EMER ACFT, AND THAT I AM PROCEEDING TO THE FIRST OPEN GATE I SEE. SUDDENLY, THEY WERE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE US ON THE GATE. I THINK OPS PERSONNEL SHOULD RECEIVE TRAINING ON HANDLING EMER ACFT, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT IS THEIR OWN COMPANY AND POLICE VEHICLES ARE ESCORTING THE ACFT.

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.