By David K. Li -
NBC News
A student pilot tried to enter the cockpit of an international flight bound for Dulles, Virginia, and told crew members he was just “testing them” with the dangerous maneuver, authorities said.
Nathan Jones, 19, was aboard Alaska Airlines Flight 322 from San Diego to Dulles International Airport on March 3 when he “made three separate attempts to go to the front of the plane and open the door. the cockpit,” stated an affidavit from Thomas Pattinson, federal air agent.
The flight attendants “
requested the assistance of off-duty law enforcement officers
, who restrained Jones with flexible handcuffs and sat on either side of him for the remainder of the flight,” Pattinson added.
An Alaska Airlines plane flies over San Diego, California, on December 27, 2023.Daniel Knighton/Getty Images
When flight attendants asked Jones what he was doing, the defendant allegedly said he was “testing them,” according to the affidavit.
Jones has been charged with alleged interference with a flight crew, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
The detainee had been living with his mother in northern Virginia before the incident.
Robert Jenkins, his defense attorney,
wants his client to be psychologically evaluated
before a trial.
“We are very concerned about his mental health,” Jenkins said in a statement to NBC News on Wednesday.
“I intend to request that the court evaluate him to determine his competency to stand trial.”
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The defense presented a letter on Wednesday from jailers in Alexandria, Virginia, who indicated that Jones is under surveillance for fear of suicide and "speaks incoherently, [exhibits] disorganized behavior, mood swings, and appears be experiencing psychosis.”
Jones needs “hospital-level care to stabilize his altered mental status, which appears to be associated with psychiatric illness,” said Anne Zalewski, a licensed clinical social worker at the jail.
“Without proper treatment, it is likely that Mr.
“Jones continues to decompensate and continues to be a danger to himself,” Zalewski added.
After Flight 322 landed, Jones consented to having his belongings searched.
Investigators found “multiple notebooks with writings describing how to operate an airplane, including takeoff, airborne, and landing techniques,” Pattinson wrote.
“Jones’ wallet contained a
trainee pilot’s license
,” the federal agent added.
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For the rest of the trip, a beverage cart was placed in front of the cockpit door and one of the flight attendants stood guard there, according to authorities.
The FAA said in a statement this Wednesday that it is aware of the incident, which was described as a “disturbance caused by a passenger.”
The flight landed safely and the FAA is investigating, the agency added.
Alaska Airlines characterized the suspect as “a passenger, who appeared confused and
attempted to access the flight deck in a non-violent manner
,” the airline said in a statement Wednesday.
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“The passenger was unresponsive, forcing our flight crew to request the assistance of off-duty law enforcement officers to restrain him,” Alaska Airlines added.
“The flight continued to IAD [Dulles International Airport] without incident.
The passenger was detained by local law enforcement and has been prohibited from traveling with us.”