JetBlue pilot indicted for interfering with flight crew

Clayton Osbon, the JetBlue pilot who was wrestled down by several JetBlue passengers after he exhibited erratic behavior, has been indicted after he was accused of interfering with a flight crew. The 49-year-old pilot was formally charged on Wednesday in a federal court in Amarillo, Texas, where the flight he was on landed safely after the incident, according to the indictment filed on Wednesday. According to the court document, Osbon “did knowingly and willingly interfere and attempt to interfere with the performance of the duties of a flight crew member and flight attendant.” The document also alleges that Osbon “moved through the aircraft and was disruptive and had to be subdued and forcibly restrained from re-entering the cockpit.”

A JetBlue co-pilot became concerned about Osbon’s bizarre behavior early in their flight on March 27 from New York to Las Vegas. The co-pilot suggested they invite an off-duty JetBlue captain into the cockpit, which then gave the copilot the opportunity to lock the door after Osbon “abruptly left the cockpit to go to the forward lavatory,” according to an FBI affidavit. To verify whether Osbon was sane during the flight incident and whether he is competent to stand trial, last week, U.S. District Court Judge Mary Lou Robinson ordered Osbon be transferred to an unnamed medical facility for federal prisoners to undergo a psychiatric evaluation. According to the indictment, Osbon remains in custody.