'It was a crazy experience': Chaos after American Airlines passenger tries to open exit door mid-flight
Passengers on board an American Airlines flight thanked the crew for handling a man who allegedly attempted to open the emergency exit door mid-air.
It's understood the frightening incident saw the passenger attempt to force open the door while the plane was starting to land at the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport in Minnesota on August 19.
Other passengers tried to subdue the man as he reached for the door.
The plane made a quick landing.
Video shows police coming on board to escort the man from the plane.
"I think American Airlines did a great job, especially the pilot of the plane kind of keeping everything in order and keeping everyone calm," passenger Richard Munassi said in a statement to CBS Minnesota.
According to witnesses, the commotion began a few moments after the pilot announced that the flight was preparing for descent to Minneapolis–St Paul International Airport.
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Some people thought it could have been a fistfight.
"There was a lot of yelling and screaming. I thought perhaps two of the passengers had gotten into maybe a fistfight," Munassi said.
Another witness, Salman Elmi, said the passengers were able to keep the man from reaching the handle until the flight crew could get to him themselves.
“It was a crazy experience,” Elmi said.
Munassi added that it was one of the "hottest landings he has ever had".
The FBI is currently investigating the incident.
