An alleged unruly passenger forced an American Airlines flight to make an emergency landing in Utah after an alleged misconduct, the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah said Wednesday.
Eric Nicholas Gapco, 26, from Delanco, New Jersey, was arrested after he allegedly attempted to engage in inappropriate behavior with a flight attendant and tried to open the plane’s door mid-flight July 18. Gapco was on flight 2101 from Seattle to Dallas when he began acting erratically, according to the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah.
NJ man goes berserk on flight, tries to have sex with attendant, open plane door while shouting ‘I am sane!’: feds https://t.co/f1Ey2qcP9J pic.twitter.com/lSA7j6labI
— New York Post (@nypost) August 1, 2024
“Gapco failed to follow instructions to remain in his seat, propositioned a flight attendant for sex, was repeatedly loud, vaped, bothered other passengers, locked himself in the lavatory, and attempted to open the aircraft exterior doors multiple times while the aircraft was in flight,” the press release states. “Gapco is charged with interference with a flight crew, and attempted damage to an aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States.”
Video footage shared by KSLTV purportedly shows Gapco shirtless and shouting “I am sane” as crew members tried to subdue him near the plane’s bathroom. Flight attendants then restrained Gapco with hand and foot shackles and the plane made an emergency landing in Salt Lake City around 11 a.m. Gapco was arrested at Salt Lake City International Airport and indicted on charges of interfering with a flight crew and attempted damage to an aircraft, KSLTV reported.
WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 10: An American Airlines flight takes off from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on July 10, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Another video shows the Salt Lake City police officers aboard the aircraft, attempting to help Gapco to his feet to remove him from the flight, KSLTV reported. Protesting his removal, Gapco insisted, “I have clots in my legs, I need hospitalization. I need to go to a hospital!” (RELATED: Woman Alleges United Airlines Removed Them From Flight After Misgendering Attendant, Airline Responds)
Gapco is set to appear for the first time at the United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City on Thursday, Aug. 1, facing federal charges. The case is under investigation by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office and the Salt Lake City Police Department, according to the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah.
