A JetBlue pilot has been charged with interfering with a flight crew after his midair behavioral meltdown led to an emergency landing.
The federal criminal complaint reveals details of the incident in which Clayton Osbon, 49, displayed what passengers and fellow crew members described as erratic, bizarre and disturbing behavior.
The affidavit details the trip:
As the plane was taking off, Osbon “said something to the FO (first officer) about being evaluated by someone,” but the first officer was not sure what Osbon meant.
Osbon talked about his church and needing to “focus,” then asked the first officer to take over the controls and the radio. Osbon said, “Things just don’t matter,” talked about sins in Las Vegas, and at one point said, “We’re not going to Vegas.”
About 3½ hours into the planned five-hour flight, the pilot left the cockpit to use the lavatory, but he failed to follow security protocol, alarming the crew. He then banged on the lavatory door and told the female passenger inside that he needed to go to the bathroom.
