Photo: Jason Edwards 972332/51C CrRM / The Image Bank Unreleased / Getty Images
A 19-year-old student pilot was detained during an Alaska Airlines flight from San Diego to Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C., for allegedly trying to storm the cockpit several times throughout the cross-country trip.
An affidavit filed by Federal Air Marshal Thomas Pattinson said that Nathan Jones "made three separate attempts to go to the front of the plane and open the aircraft's cockpit door" during the March 3rd flight.
With the help of off-duty law enforcement officers, flight attendants restrained Jones in flex cuffs for the remainder of the flight. Once Jones was detained, a beverage cart was placed in front of the cockpit door while a flight attendant stood guard for the remainder of the flight.
The teen told flight attendants he "was testing them."
After the flight landed at Dulles, Jones gave investigators permission to search his bag, which contained "multiple notebooks with writings describing how to operate an aircraft, including take-off, in-air, and landing techniques."
Jones was charged with interference with a flight crew and faces up to 20 years in prison if he is found guilty.