Summary

Passengers on an American Airlines flight from Milwaukee to Dallas-Fort Worth restrained a Canadian man with duct tape after he allegedly attempted to open a cabin door mid-flight, claiming he was the “captain” and needed to exit.

The man became aggressive, injuring a flight attendant as he rushed toward the door.

Several passengers, including Doug McCright and Charlie Boris, subdued him, using duct tape to secure his hands and ankles.

Authorities detained the man upon landing, and the incident remains under investigation.

  • Katana314@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    5
    ·
    2 days ago

    There was a CSI episode with a situation similar to this. Of course, since it’s CSI, the way that turned out was the mentally ill person was killed (and the episode was about the passengers/crew subtly covering for each other).

    Nice case of how in real life, people avoid harm when possible, and in fiction, people are all secretly ruthless savages out for each other’s blood.

    Oh; I should say, in fiction, and for police, who similarly live in fiction-land.

  • Apytele@sh.itjust.works
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    52
    arrow-down
    2
    ·
    4 days ago

    The passenger was seen lying on his stomach with his hands behind his back bound as well as his ankles with duct tape, the report said.

    So for future reference, especially for those of you who do such things recreationally, facedown restraint is very risky from a respiratory standpoint, especially with the limbs back in the hogtie position, that is how the cops kill people (I would say accidentally except they have enough education on the topic to preclude that). But ultimately I’m mostly just glad they kept him from opening the plane. That’s the obvious first priority there. Damn.

    • TheRealKuni@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      29
      arrow-down
      2
      ·
      3 days ago

      But ultimately I’m mostly just glad they kept him from opening the plane. That’s the obvious first priority there. Damn.

      It’s physically impossible to open a door on an airplane during most stages of the flight. The door first needs to move inward before opening, and the pressure differential is absurd. The handle would break long before you’d open the door. The only time it’s really possible is near the ground as you’re coming in to land or taking off (which did happen recently).

      • Takumidesh@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        10
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        edit-2
        3 days ago

        That’s not true on every plane.

        Typically for doors that don’t open inward first, they have interlocks.

        For example, the over wing doors on a 737ng don’t open inward, they are actually spring loaded on a hinge and swing directly outward, there is a locking pawl that engages and disengages automatically under specific circumstances, requiring the squat switches on the landing gear to be engaged and the throttles to be in an idle position.

    • Carvex@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      7
      arrow-down
      36
      ·
      4 days ago

      Opening the door during flight is attempted murder of everyone on board, fuck him. I hope it was hard to breathe the whole time and they put him in a nice padded cell for a while.

      • orclev@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        54
        arrow-down
        3
        ·
        4 days ago

        Considering he was claiming to be the captain and trying to get off the plane it seems highly likely he was having some kind of mental breakdown. He needs proper medical care and a psychological evaluation, not summary execution. Yes he was a danger to himself and others, but that doesn’t mean he’s guilty of attempted murder. A padded room might be appropriate depending on the psych evaluation, but wishing suffering on him without knowing the full situation is too much.

      • RampantParanoia2365@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        3
        ·
        4 days ago

        I mean, it’s an attempt, but it’s in no way possible to actually do. That’s thousands of pounds of pressure on that door. I’d bet on the handle breaking off before the door opens mid-flight.

  • tquid@sh.itjust.works
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    33
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    4 days ago

    I understand the need to neutralize the threat but duct taping someone to Texas is just cruel

  • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    19
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    4 days ago

    Assuming it wasn’t a Boeing, he wouldn’t have been able to get the door open, so at least they weren’t in any real danger.

    • Im_old@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      27
      ·
      4 days ago

      Well, not from the door opening, you are right (pressure difference and such). But he already injured a flight attendant, so I guess he wasn’t going to say “oh well it doesn’t open, I tried, I’ll sit down quietly now”.

        • Im_old@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          6
          ·
          4 days ago

          Well, not everyone at the same time, just one at a time! Lol

          I understand what you mean, I’m just kidding.

    • teft@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      4
      ·
      4 days ago

      That depends on where in the flight he tried to open the door. The article says mid flight but that could mean anything.

      Above 10,000 ft he wouldn’t be able to open the door because of the pressure difference but below that and he would have no problems since the cabin isn’t pressurized and the doors aren’t locked with any key or anything.

      • Coreidan@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        3
        ·
        3 days ago

        Depends on the aircraft. In a 737 the doors drop pins once the takeoff roll begins. He wouldn’t be able to physically open the door at that point.