A B757-200 captain reported that a passenger was so disruptive that he arranged to divert. He contin...

Attributes
ACN	612657
Time
Date	200403
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zab.artcc
State Reference	NM
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	612657
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	cabin event : passenger misconduct cabin event : passenger electronic device cabin event : passenger contraband non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other other : 3
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Passenger Human Performance
Primary Problem	Passenger Human Performance

Narrative:

Approximately 1 hour into flight, I was informed that a passenger was being a 'problem' as he appeared intoxicated and was causing a disturbance in the cabin. He would not stop trying to use his cell phone in-flight until a flight attendant took it from him. He took out his cigarettes and, when told he could not smoke, he took his cigarette and went into the lavatory. He spilled his food tray and 'ordered' the flight attendant to clean it up. When notified of this behavior, I sent an ACARS message to dispatch that I may have to divert in order to have this passenger removed from the flight, as he was using profanity and was a potential security threat. The flight attendants believed that he was boarded in an intoxicated state and he was taking pills in-flight. The flight attendants had to take a bottle of alcohol from him as he proceeded to drink from it. The flight attendants were eventually able to control him and I elected to continue to jfk. Emt's were requested to meet the flight, as the passenger could not get off of the aircraft unassisted.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-200 CAPT RPTED THAT A PAX WAS SO DISRUPTIVE THAT HE ARRANGED TO DIVERT. HE CONTINUED TO THE DEST, JFK, ONLY AFTER THE CABIN RPTED THAT THEY HAD THE PAX UNDER CTL.

Narrative: APPROX 1 HR INTO FLT, I WAS INFORMED THAT A PAX WAS BEING A 'PROB' AS HE APPEARED INTOXICATED AND WAS CAUSING A DISTURBANCE IN THE CABIN. HE WOULD NOT STOP TRYING TO USE HIS CELL PHONE INFLT UNTIL A FLT ATTENDANT TOOK IT FROM HIM. HE TOOK OUT HIS CIGARETTES AND, WHEN TOLD HE COULD NOT SMOKE, HE TOOK HIS CIGARETTE AND WENT INTO THE LAVATORY. HE SPILLED HIS FOOD TRAY AND 'ORDERED' THE FLT ATTENDANT TO CLEAN IT UP. WHEN NOTIFIED OF THIS BEHAVIOR, I SENT AN ACARS MESSAGE TO DISPATCH THAT I MAY HAVE TO DIVERT IN ORDER TO HAVE THIS PAX REMOVED FROM THE FLT, AS HE WAS USING PROFANITY AND WAS A POTENTIAL SECURITY THREAT. THE FLT ATTENDANTS BELIEVED THAT HE WAS BOARDED IN AN INTOXICATED STATE AND HE WAS TAKING PILLS INFLT. THE FLT ATTENDANTS HAD TO TAKE A BOTTLE OF ALCOHOL FROM HIM AS HE PROCEEDED TO DRINK FROM IT. THE FLT ATTENDANTS WERE EVENTUALLY ABLE TO CTL HIM AND I ELECTED TO CONTINUE TO JFK. EMT'S WERE REQUESTED TO MEET THE FLT, AS THE PAX COULD NOT GET OFF OF THE ACFT UNASSISTED.

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.

A B757-200 captain reported that a passenger was so disruptive that he arranged to divert. He continued to the destination, jfk, only after the cabin reported that they had the passenger under control.