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Swearing grounds NWA jet
Las Vegas-to-Detroit flight is canceled after passengers complain about pilot's foul language.
Iveory Perkins / The Detroit News
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a Northwest Airlines pilot who locked himself inside an airplane lavatory while screaming obscenities before the flight was scheduled to take off for Detroit from Las Vegas on Friday.
As passengers boarded Northwest Flight 1190 at McCarran International Airport they heard the captain shouting curse words.
Transportation Security Administration workers responded to the incident and noticed the pilot was "acting strange," FAA spokesman Ian Gregor told The Detroit News.
"He entered the forward lavatory, locked the door and continued his animated conversation, but passengers who were boarding could hear the end of the conversation," Gregor said. "At some point he came out and a passenger confronted him about his demeanor and actions," Gregor said. "The pilot allegedly laid an f-bomb, and cursed at the passenger."
After FAA and Northwest Airlines spoke with the captain and the flight was canceled. The name of the captain isn't being released, but Gregor said he is a veteran pilot. The co-pilot also was taken off the flight because the FAA determined the situation may have "rattled him."
There were 180 passengers aboard the Boeing 757 aircraft along with a five-person crew.
Passenger Jeanine Peters of Eastpointe was in the back of the plane when she noticed others leaving the flight.
"People started getting off the plane before they announced there was a problem," Peters said. "People were saying they heard swearing, screaming and yelling and they were getting nervous. There was police cars out there and people running up to the plane."
Las Vegas police interviewed the pilot, but did not find any cause to conduct a sobriety test, Gregor said.
Peters couldn't find another flight to Detroit until today.
Northwest Airlines wouldn't comment beyond a statement that said the flight was canceled due to inappropriate language by a crew member. Northwest also issued an apology to its customers for the delay Friday.
Gregor said that once Northwest presents its findings in the matter, the FAA will review the case and make a ruling of its own.