October 9, 2001

12:31 PM

OK, this is yesterday's news, but this airline incident happened Monday over the skies of Chicago. I heard the sonic boom as the F-16's scrambled to intercept the plane, which at first gave me a false sense of security. But now I'm wondering about 2 things about this incident; First, how the hell did this guy get in the cockpit? Haven't they fixed the doors yet (at least with a deadbolt)? Secondly, if this plane was indeed a threat, what would the F-16's do? Shoot the plane down over a very populated area? It seems our new airline security plans still have some major holes!
posted by Sal Amander (16 comments total)

The story answers your first question -- cockpit door changes won't be completed throughout the airline until November.

As for the rest, this story made me feel better about the security of airplanes. Passengers and the military reacted swiftly to the threat.
posted by rcade at 12:41 PM on October 9, 2001

The story answers your first question -- cockpit door changes won't be completed throughout the airline until November.

Oops, I should have caught that. This Chicago Tribune article has gone through a few updates since yesterday. For example, it was originally reported that the crazed man that entered the cabin was a man in his early 20's. I failed to re-read today's article.
posted by Sal Amander at 12:46 PM on October 9, 2001

the incident was a chilling reminder of how easy it is for even a single, determined aggressor to get into the cockpit of commercial airliner.

ahem! not to mention its a chilling reminder of the stupidity of fucking with a hundred people who have stuffed themselves into a fragile hollow aluminum tube to hurtle through space at 30,000 feet.

i reveled in this story. americans are pissed. they are not going to put up with it. they mobbed this asshole, dragged him out of the cockpit, sat on him and injected him with sedatives! woo hoo! i said WOO FRIGGIN' HOO!!!!!!!!!
posted by quonsar at 12:48 PM on October 9, 2001

though i also love the story, just wait until the party is ruined by some anxious lawyers.
posted by mich9139 at 12:58 PM on October 9, 2001

(lol) Don't hold back, quonsar. Express yourself fully. Tell us how you really feel, heh, heh.
posted by Wulfgar! at 12:58 PM on October 9, 2001

Should we even be surprised by this behavior? The guys that took down the plane headed for the White House did this without the rah-rah of post 9/11 machismo. Good job all around, but its hardly noteworthy compared to what happened in Pennsylvania.
posted by skallas at 1:03 PM on October 9, 2001

Check the photo of the suspect, which I assume is post-sedative (unless some dumbass just sat and took pictures while the shiznit was going down). Either that sedative was pretty damn weak, or this guy was on PCP or something. I mean, damn, my veins don't even pop that much when I'm "touching" myself.
posted by SpaceBass at 1:14 PM on October 9, 2001

TMI, dude. TMI.
posted by jpoulos at 1:57 PM on October 9, 2001

skallas, rah-rah or no rah-rah, it sounds like it was very "noteworthy" to the other passengers on board the Chciago flight.
posted by Tubes at 2:57 PM on October 9, 2001

tubes, looks no different than any other case of air-rage. Except now the guy who puts his knee into the neck of the drunken or crazed bastard is a national hero. In almost every air rage case there's at least a couple volunteers. Chalk this up to post-9/11 rah-rah.
posted by skallas at 3:52 PM on October 9, 2001

Congressman J.C. Watts (Rep-OK) Apologetic for Airport Outburst
posted by Carol Anne at 4:54 PM on October 9, 2001

Mr. Coburn is very, very lucky. One year and several days ago, a young disturbed man was tackled by passengers and in the process, his airway was obstructed and he died of heart failure. And that was before terrorists.

Fortunately, cockpit security improvements will reduce some of the danger from incidents like this, though somebody could still be dangerous enough to try opening an exterior door, as they said this guy (a year ago) did.
posted by dhartung at 5:03 PM on October 9, 2001

Skallas, do you try to be contrary or does it just work out that way?
posted by smackfu at 8:07 PM on October 9, 2001

smackfu, just ask me in email.
posted by skallas at 10:06 PM on October 9, 2001

Jesus Christ I hate J.C. Watts...the cops should have done to him what they did with this guy.

Sorry for the unrelated post, but I had to say it.
posted by thewittyname at 6:57 AM on October 10, 2001

hmmm...get ready for a whole lot more attacks by American crackpots than terrorists.
posted by perorate at 7:35 AM on October 10, 2001