A US pilot who created panic by screaming about a bomb on a domestic flight early this year was acquitted by a Court after finding that he suffered "severe mental disease or defect".
A JetBlue flight bound for Las Vegas made an emergency landing in Texas on March 27 after the pilot went on a mid-air rant yelling about a bomb.
Flight 191 was on its way from New York's JFK Airport with 135 passengers on board, when Capt. Clayton Osborn walked from the cockpit to the back of the plane ranting about a bomb and threats from Iran and Al-Qaeda.
At one stage, the emotionally upset Pilot reached for plane door.
Some of the passengers, who happened to work in security service, remained unperturbed despite the pilot's shouting and insistence to get back into the cockpit that created confused scenes on board, and overpowered the well-built man ending a half-hour-long mayhem.
The plane, which was supposed to be a non-stop flight, made an emergency landing in Amarillo, Texas, shortly after the veteran pilot was tied up on the floor outside the cockpit.
The police arrested him and charged with interfering with crew on board.
The court will decide whether he can be released after subjecting him to a re-evaluation, reports said. The next hearing on the case is posted for August 6.
For comments and feedback: editorial@rttnews.com