05-04-2010, 09:44 AM
An unruly passenger who banged on the cockpit door of a SkyWest flight and claimed he was a space alien was arrested after the plane made an emergency landing Sunday in Idaho Falls.
Delta Connection Flight 4620 was en route from Helena, Mont., to Salt Lake City when a passenger got up and approached the cockpit, said SkyWest spokeswoman Marissa Snow.
"Reports from our crew say he actually started banging on the flight deck door," she said.
Snow did not have any other information to release Monday, including whether the man said anything while banging on the door. But Pocatello TV station KPVI reported he told flight attendants he was a space alien and wanted to fly the plane.
Flight attendants and other passengers were able to get the man back in his seat while the pilots diverted to Idaho Falls. The plane landed just after 6 p.m. Sunday, when authorities took the man into custody, she said.
The plane resumed its flight and arrived in Salt Lake City at 7:15 p.m. There were about 50 passengers on the plane. KPVI reported the man arrested was Matthew Kleindorfer, 32, of Las Vegas.
Delta Connection Flight 4620 was en route from Helena, Mont., to Salt Lake City when a passenger got up and approached the cockpit, said SkyWest spokeswoman Marissa Snow.
"Reports from our crew say he actually started banging on the flight deck door," she said.
Snow did not have any other information to release Monday, including whether the man said anything while banging on the door. But Pocatello TV station KPVI reported he told flight attendants he was a space alien and wanted to fly the plane.
Flight attendants and other passengers were able to get the man back in his seat while the pilots diverted to Idaho Falls. The plane landed just after 6 p.m. Sunday, when authorities took the man into custody, she said.
The plane resumed its flight and arrived in Salt Lake City at 7:15 p.m. There were about 50 passengers on the plane. KPVI reported the man arrested was Matthew Kleindorfer, 32, of Las Vegas.