A JetBlue pilot threatened to crash the plane he was set to fly out of Logan Airport Thursday afternoon, a source has told WBZ NewsRadio 1030.
The pilot, who has not been identified, was taken into custody at Logan for allegedly sending an email to his girlfriend in which he said if they did not reconcile their relationship, he was going to crash the plane.
The officer was questioned by the FBI at the airport, and taken to a Boston hospital for a psychiatric evaluation.
Authorities reportedly found the email on the pilot's phone.
A government officials familiar with the case says TSA agents and state police were called to "interview a pilot who indicated that he was unfit for duty. During the interview, the pilot voluntarily agreed to to depart the airport and seek appropriate care."
JetBlue released a statement at 8:35 p.m. saying that one of their pilots was removed for "health-related reasons."
Bryan Baldwin, manager of corporate communications for JetBlue, wrote in an email to WBZ-TV, "At no point were any customers or aircraft in danger. We are working closely with Boston authorities to ensure our crew member receives appropriate medical attention."
Baldwin said the company will not provide any additional details.
Airport officials confirmed the TSA and FAA are investigating.
Now as well as giving up my toothpaste I suppose I will have to provide a copy of every e-mail I have sent since I last reported for duty. That or they will want remote access to my computer so I can be checked real time inbetween duties.
random substance abuse testing in crew rooms now to include e-mails. That, or a signed declaration that you are of sound mind and not about to fizz-off like an overloaded alcasellser.
I agree with all the skepticism about about media hype and possible knee-jerk reactions of the legislators, but: does anyone remember the Egyptair crash of a B767 out of New York some years ago? This was most probably a suicide (actually combined with a murder) of a bitter and frustrated F/O, as the FBI discovered (if I remember correctly).
I do understand the nervousness of anybody involved in flying safety and security when somebody, who intends to put an end to his/her life, is being trusted to steer a transport category aircraft.
Everyone who wants to follow the Existentialists theory of their only remaining freedom, a suicide, should do so in private and without involving too many others.
Can't find a reference but wasn't there also one in North Africa ( Algeria, Morroco? ) a few years ago? Crashed into the mountains I think, after his girlfriend ditched him.
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Quote:
...in which he said if they did not reconcile their relationship, he was going to crash the plane.
I can't help but notice the similarity in poor communication procedure with AAL2 at Kennedy. If he didn't get what he wanted, then he would do (whatever).
What's the proper phraseology for unequivocally declaring your intention to crash your plane? (Either ICAO or FAA.)
Might have been more difficult in the days when there were at least 3 crew members on the FD, not to mention one or two jump seat riders. Now days, if you're desperate enough, you have an even chance of succeeding.
Also Air Botswana had their fleet of ATRs wiped out when a skipper with a grudge against management took one up single pilot and crashed it into the rest of the fleet on the apron at Gabs!! (Gabarone,FBSK)
You are reffering to the Royal Air Maroc ATR-42 that crashed in the mountains between Casablanca and Agadir...
Poor guy, many people can say stupid things they don't mean in those situations. I'm sure there is nothing wrong with him, it was probably just a desperate way to get the attention of the girl...
Unless the authorities read everyone's email all the time, its difficult to understand how this exchange could have been caught so quickly? Should the title instead read "Secret Global Spy Net Nabs Suicidal Pilot?
...it appears that the pilot's girlfriend, who is a flight attendant, was the person who tipped off authorities.
From reading the above you might be fooled into thinking that the "authorities" somehow discovered this threat from some kind of covert spy operation where all email is being tracked...
Nothing of the sort. Girlfriend (also an FA) reported him. Simple.
I can't help but notice the similarity in poor communication procedure with AAL2 at Kennedy. If he didn't get what he wanted, then he would do (whatever).
What's the proper phraseology for unequivocally declaring your intention to crash your plane? (Either ICAO or FAA.)
Can you refer me to that portion of the AA 2 tape that in any way suggests that the pilot made such an inference?
Your second sentence makes light of a most serious situation. I fail to see any humor in this pathetic Jet Blue incident.
A couple of updates with perhaps the inevitable spin control from the P.R. folks:
Quote:
BOSTON -- A JetBlue pilot was taken to the hospital after he allegedly sent a text threatening to hurt himself on Thursday, according to sources close to 7NEWS.
The JetBlue pilot at Logan Airport was removed from duty and taken to Massachusetts General Hospital for an evaluation.
Sources said the man sent a suicidal text message to his girlfriend. When she saw the message, the girlfriend notified the authorities.
TSA then interviewed the pilot. Agents took his gun, but the pilot was not arrested.
Sources said the pilot was not on an airplane at the time, but was in a group room, where crew members meet prior to boarding flights.
Some reports mention an e-mail, others a text message.
Quote:
May 21, 2010 9:34 am US/Eastern
TSA: Pilot Wanted Suicide In 'Spectacular Fashion'
Officials Insist Pilot Only Thought Of Harming Himself; Removed From Flight Due To 'Illness'
BOSTON (CBS) ― A JetBlue pilot caused a scare when he allegedly threatened to crash his plane, which company and federal officials deny.
A JetBlue pilot was pulled from a flight at Logan Airport Thursday just an hour before takeoff after he allegedly threatened to kill himself "in spectacular fashion," authorities said Friday.
But Logan Airport's Federal Security Director George Naccara said a report that the unidentified pilot threatened to crash the plane is "misleading."
A source told WBZ Radio in Boston the pilot was taken into custody for allegedly sending an email to his girlfriend in which he said if they did not reconcile their relationship, he was going to crash the plane.
Naccara told WBZ Radio Friday the pilot did "exchange email with another person and we were alerted through various sources," but he denied the pilot threatened to crash his flight out of Logan.
"He never threatened crashing the aircraft. It was a situation in which he was threatening to take his own life and, in fact, his words were he may do it in 'some spectacular fashion' but not anything to do with the aircraft and no reference to crashing the aircraft or harming anyone else other than himself," he said.
Naccara said it appears that the pilot's girlfriend, who is a flight attendant, was the person who tipped off authorities.
The pilot was pulled from pilot's lounge an hour before the flight for what JetBlue called "heath-related reasons."
"Actions were taken immediately and the situation was diffused very effectively," Naccara said.
"Never was anyone in any kind of jeopardy. This was very much an isolated case, certainly not related to any type of terrorism."
The airline says media reports about the threat to crash the plane were "vicious rumor and speculation."
Bryan Baldwin, manager of corporate communications for JetBlue, wrote in an email to CBS station WBZ-TV, "At no point were any customers or aircraft in danger. We are working closely with Boston authorities to ensure our crew member receives appropriate medical attention."
"He's being evaluated at Mass. General Hospital," Naccara said.
"He is not in custody, he will not be flying, of course, and other actions will be taken by JetBlue and also by the FAA."
I note that the authorities took his gun; he presumably is one of the pilot who is allowed to carry a gun in the cockpit as protection against terrorists.
I appreciate the original posting as I had not heard of this news story. The comments following have been terrible.
mental illness in aviation, especially in airline flying is a real problem.
I agree. It is the proverbial Catch 22 situation where you wouldn't be normal if at times the stress of the job and lifestyle, including mergers, pay cuts, divorce, jetlag, WX and BK, didn't get to you. However, if you seek help from a mental health professional in coping with your issues and the feds find out, you have the very real risk of being permanently grounded depending on the diagnosis.
I've also had a couple of pilot friends commit suicide over the years, I would guess that the rate is lower than the general population due to employment screening and drug testing but that's just a hunch.
Increasingly bizarre behaviour will at some point get you sent for a psych evaluation. A couple of the more sensational examples in years past were Captain WOW at Delta and Captain Barney at FedEx. In both of these cases there was a layer of union politics mixed in but neither pilot returned to the cockpit from what I remember.
