Jetblue Pilot Faces Federal Charges After Tirade

Imagine the pilot of your next flight running through the aisle shouting scripture and screaming about a bomb and Iraq and Afghanistan as he commands you to recite The Lord's Prayer. What caused Captain Clayton Osbon to lose his mental capacity and create such a security threat? That is precisely what happened as the 12 year veteran was apprehended by the passengers while his co-pilot made an emergency landing in Amarillo, Texas. Luckily, no one on board was injured during this incident.

Dave Berger, CEO of JetBlue, backs his captain saying that he has known him for years, and that he has been a "consummate professional." It is understood that there was a medical situation going on with Osbon prior to the flight, and it evidently wasn't completely addressed. He is now at a facility at the Northwest Texas Healthcare System in Amarillo under evaluation. Who knows what they will find out, but it is certain that the pilot faces federal charges involving interfering with the flight crew.

What really could've been an even more serious situation was rectified by the co-pilot as well as the passengers. The co-pilot, after realizing his captain was not all there, locked him out of the cockpit and landed the plane himself while telling the passengers to subdue Osbon. Pilots throughout the industry are withholding their judgment because of the bizarre nature and uncertainty of the circumstances and the unresolved question of why? Personally, I agree with their stance, and I hope that Captain Clayton Osbon gets the help he needs.