United Airlines passenger allegedly assaulted flight attendant, tried to get into cockpit
A 48-year-old passenger on a United Airlines flight allegedly assaulted a flight attendant and attempted to enter the cockpit before the plane landed at Newark Liberty International Airport. The man was detained and taken to a hospital for psychiatric evaluation, with no other injuries reported. The incident is under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration as part of ongoing concerns about unruly passenger behavior.
- ▪A 48-year-old man allegedly attacked a crew member and tried to access the cockpit on United Flight 1837.
- ▪The flight arrived at Newark from the Dominican Republic, and emergency services were requested upon landing.
- ▪The Port Authority Police Department took the man into custody for psychiatric evaluation, and a second passenger declined medical attention.
- ▪The FAA reported nearly 500 unruly passenger incidents so far in 2026, with 110 occurring in April alone.
- ▪United Airlines praised the flight crew for their response and confirmed law enforcement assisted with the incident.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
U.S. newsUnited Airlines passenger allegedly assaulted flight attendant, tried to get into cockpit The 48-year-old man was detained and taken to a hospital for psychiatric evaluation upon arriving at Newark airport Saturday evening. Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00A United Airlines aircraft. Nicolas Economou / NurPhoto via Getty Images file ShareAdd NBC News to GoogleMay 3, 2026, 1:39 PM EDTBy Doha MadaniA United Airlines passenger allegedly attacked a crew member and attempted to access the cockpit before being removed by police Saturday evening at Newark Liberty International Airport.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.The 48-year-old man, whose name was not released, was detained and taken to a hospital…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at NBC News Top Stories.
Discussion
0 commentsMore from NBC News Top Stories
