Passengers Save the Day After JetBlue Captain Suffers Breakdown Mid-Flight [VIDEO]
When problems with a passenger happen while a plane is in the air, it’s usually the pilot who stays calm, cool and collected. But what if it’s the pilot himself who has a break with reality?
On Tuesday, a routine JetBlue flight from New York City to Las Vegas was forced to land in Amarillo, Texas, instead, after the pilot, 12-year-veteran Clayton Osbon, was ejected from the cockpit by the co-pilot and tried to force his way back in while ranting about Iraq, Afghanistan and al Qaeda.
“They’re going to take us down! They’re going to take us down! Say the Lord’s Prayer, say the Lord’s Prayer!” he reportedly screamed.
A panicked flight attendant asked passengers for help, and four men — including a retired NYPD sergeant — jumped from their seats and held Obson down. An off-duty captain who happened to be on-board then entered the flight deck and helped safely landed the plane in Amarillo.
A statement from JetBlue said Osbon, 47, had a “medical” condition and was taken to a clinic under the care of the FBI. Airport police, Amarillo police, the FAA, the FBI and the Transportation Safety Administration are investigating the incident.
The CEO and president of JetBlue, Dave Barger, referred to Osbon as “a consummate professional,” adding, “I’ve known the captain personally for a long period of time, and there’s been no indication of this at all in the past.”