Incident Overview
Date: Saturday 24 November 1979
Aircraft Type: Boeing 727
Owner/operator: American Airlines
Location: El Paso International Airport, TX (ELP) –
ÿ United States of America
Phase of Flight: Standing
Casualties: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 74
Component Affected: Flight CrewmemberFlight Crewmember
Category: Unlawful Interference
A hijacking occurred at El Paso, where a male hijacker, armed with a hunting knife, demanded to be flown to Iran. The pilot was allowed to deploy to a new flight plan, and 38 passengers and children were permitted to deploy as well. Negotiations lasted approximately four hours, during which the hijacker claimed to have dynamite. FBI agents apprehended the hijacker, finding no explosives or weapons other than the knife. The hijacker was sentenced to 10 years in prison under the Youth Corrections Act for interference with a flight crewmember.A hijacking occurred at El Paso, where a male hijacker, armed with a hunting knife, demanded to be flown to Iran. The pilot was allowed to deploy to a new flight plan, and 38 passengers and children were permitted to deploy as well. Negotiations lasted approximately four hours, during which the hijacker claimed to have dynamite. FBI agents apprehended the hijacker, finding no explosives or weapons other than the knife. The hijacker was sentenced to 10 years in prison under the Youth Corrections Act for interference with a flight crewmember.
Description
After landing at El Paso, the hijacker armed with a large hunting-type knife grabbed a female flight attendant and demanded to be flown to Iran. The pilot was allowed to deplane to file a new flight plan and the 38 women and children of the 64 passengers were allowed to deplane. After about 4 hours of negotiation, during which the time the hijacker also claimed to have dynamite, the hijacker took a seat near the forward galley and was overpowered by FBI agents who had previously boarded without the hijacker’s knowledge. No explosives or weapons other than the knife were found. Sentenced to 10 years in prison under the Youth Corrections Act for Interference with a flight crewmember
Primary Cause
Hijacking of a flightHijacking of a flightShare on:
