Chicago Flight Makes Emergency Landing After Man Attempts To Open Plane Door

By Chuck Sudo in News on Apr 14, 2014 1:30PM

A Southwest Airlines flight bound for Sacramento from Midway Airport made an emergency landing in Omaha Sunday after a passenger had to be subdued when he attempted to open one of the airplane’s doors.

Passengers told Sacramento NBC affiliate KCRA they noticed the man acting strangely—at one point he exited one of the plane’s bathrooms soaking wet—when they heard one of the flight attendants requesting help and found the passenger trying to open the plane’s rear door and jump out.

The man was restrained by other passengers.

"I ran to the back of the plane. At that point in time I was joined by about two other people," Dr. Scott Porter said. "We basically tackled the -- I don't want to say gentleman -- but the guy who was back there and pinned him down and restrained him."

The man was removed from the plane at Omaha’s Eppley Airfield. The flight arrived in Sacramento nearly two hours behind schedule without further incident. More information regarding the passenger is expected to be released Monday morning.