JetBlue captain subdued after pounding on cockpit

Rogo said:
I was watching CNN and they were interviewing a passenger on the flight just before they had Sully come on, they asked the passenger if he thought he was going to die... The passenger said that all he was thinking about was his wife and kids and started crying. Unreal...
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I think its unfortunate nowadays that people resign to "oh gawd, I'm gonna die!" at the slightest incident instead of "crap, how do I make this stop!"
 
BigWaveDave said:
My last rotation I flew with a POW, F4 driver, Eastern and United Captain. I actually took comfort in the stories of how well pilots were treated "back in the day." You know why? Being poor is stressful. You know how I know? I'm effectively poor for the area I live in. Last year I have slept in my car, on friends couches and a few times a hangar or two. It makes life at work even harder and any additional work related stress can get you close to the tipping point.

IMHO this could happen to anyone. None of us are immune. I'm sure there is a back story. I don't really want to know it.
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None of the JetBlue pilots I know are poor by any stretch, especially a Standards Captain on the A320. It's very easy to pin this on poor pay/treatment, but these pilots are generally treated well and paid decently. Of course, we don't know his personal life (nor is it any of our business). I hope he gets the treatment he needs.
 
Rogo said:
I was watching CNN and they were interviewing a passenger on the flight just before they had Sully come on, they asked the passenger if he thought he was going to die... The passenger said that all he was thinking about was his wife and kids and started crying. Unreal...
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If the door is secured against all manner of evildoers, al Qaeda and the KKK these days I am fair certain one Captain gone out to lunch can't get back in.

If you think you are going to die just because someone is yelling and screaming and banging on the door, you don't have any fight left in you.


Sent from Seat 3D
 
Autothrust Blue said:
If you think you are going to die just because someone is yelling and screaming and banging on the door, you don't have any fight left in you.
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Well, you know how people are. They see "the pilot" going crazy, which must mean that incompetent "co-pilot" has to land the plane somehow. :)
 
I think that many people panic because they cannot escape or hide, they are in a small, confined space, they are 35k in the air and the first thought that comes to mind is crashing. There is no where for them to go and for the most part they feel a complete loss of control. I've experienced FA's do a marvelous job of dealing with this mindset and turning things around, but you will always have those you cannot calm down so well no matter what, those who always remain calm and collected and rational and everything else in between. It's always scarey for the kids on board too and for parents, that is the best reason to try and remain calm and sooth your children as they look to you.

It's very sad about what has happened to this Captain and surely there are reasons/circumstances for it. I hope he gets the proper help that he needs. It's almost like suffering a panic attack of some sort but I don't know. Obviously many factors are at play here so I don't want to really even guess and none of should be trying to do that. The real kudos belong to the F/O for keeping his head, recognizing there was a serious problem/issue with the Captain, taking control, getting him out of the flight deck on whatever ever whim (quick thinking there) and keeping him out and to the FA's for aiding in subduing him and trying to keep the pax calm and in control. Must have been a helluva deal for all the crew and pretty upsetting. I feel badly for the guy. Not the way that one would like to see their career end. He's naturally been suspended, but who knows what may happen. Everyone deserves a break and the benefit of a doubt.

From my sister's boyfriend and also my friend, (who is a Capt. with JB) I was told that Captain Osbon is well respected, a very competent pilot and very nice with a great sense of humor, well liked, seemed to be a pretty happy guy and that this has come as a complete surprise/shock to everyone and they are pretty upset and concerned for him. He snapped/had a breakdown for whatever reason(s) or it could be very well something medical that happened. This is never funny and it's a real shame. I hope he will eventually be better. On one hand it's also regretful in some ways that in these times, that everything goes viral immediately complete with photos and videos, followed by mostly idiotic comments and assumptions. I feel especially badly for his wife and family who probably have seen this as well. Ugh. But it's a good family type of atmosphere at JB and I know he and his family will get plenty of support from his co-workers and JB is one of the few reasonable companies left out there who still cares for their employees.
 
Captain has been identified as a 12 year veteran of JetBlue.

The company's CEO and president Dave Barger told NBC's "Today" show Wednesday that Osbon's situation began as a "medical situation" and became a "security situation" as passengers and crew members restrained him.
"I've known the captain personally for a long period of time," Barger said of Osbon. "There's been no indication of this at all in the past."
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He did work as a flight standards captain, but also worked with pilot recruitment, and leadership development
First part of the article has been updated....
http://travel.usatoday.com/flights/...d-after-erratic-behavior-on-flight/53811070/1
 
I'm curious on the details on how the copilot got the captain out of the cockpit. Most people don't take kindly to being told they are losing it so I would assume it had to be something kind of clever.
 
Keep in mind this may not have even been a "snap" or a "mental episode". My grandpa suffered similar irrational behavior after his stroke. A stroke is not a mental episode but a medical occurrence like a heart attack, but can make a person act in extremely erratic, illogical and inappropriate ways.

We simply do not know yet what brought about this CA's behavior. I find it very, very sad no matter what the reason that someone has suffered the way he has. He's basically been humiliated in front of the entire world. Be it a mental snap, a panic attack, a psychotic episode or a medical incident, I feel bad for him & his family.

This is why we have 2 pilots, and I commend the crew for their actions. Ultimately, the best outcome (a safe landing with no one hurt) happened, and while I am very curious to find out the "why", I hope the poor man can get the appropriate help for whatever brought the incident on.
 
You are absolutely correct. Low blood sugar, mini stroke, blood pressure issues, neurological issues, exhaustion, borderline diabetes, and dozens of other medical issues can cause erratic behavior and disorientation to suddenly appear in an otherwise completely normal and rational person. I feel very badly for him and his family. You never know what can happen to any of us or when. I hope he gets a proper diagnosis and whatever treatment he needs and gets well soon and really, this is all that matters.
 
My money is on something physiological. As others have said, mini stroke, undiagnosed diabetes, brain tumor, something like that.
 
Given the incident occurred at cruise altitude, how can the captain leave the flight deck with proper security setup? Did he just get up from his seat and left??
 
TopGunn said:
Given the incident occurred at cruise altitude, how can the captain leave the flight deck with proper security setup? Did he just get up from his seat and left??
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Well when you have to go to the bathroom. It happens all the time.
 
TopGunn said:
Given the incident occurred at cruise altitude, how can the captain leave the flight deck with proper security setup? Did he just get up from his seat and left??
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There are procedures in place to allow a pilot to leave the cockpit during cruise.
 
dasleben said:
There are procedures in place to allow a pilot to leave the cockpit during cruise.
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I realize that. That means procedures weren't followed in this particular incident. At any time two crew members should be occupying the flight deck. Clearly, that was not the case. Is FO also at fault here now?
 
TopGunn said:
I realize that. That means procedures weren't followed in this particular incident. At any time two crew members should be occupying the flight deck. Clearly, that was not the case. Is FO also at fault here now?
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I haven't seen any reports that the FO was up there alone, but even if he was, this was an emergency.
 
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