JetBlue CEO on pilot’s mid-air meltdown: ‘It started medical, but clearly wasn’t’

[Splert]

FYI....Jetblue is paying for FOUR full time attorneys for Clayton.....two are criminal attorneys, one is an FAA attorney and one has psych experience.....

Sure...ALPA attorneys would have gotten him off by now...I know, I know...

But..would you FOs want to walk in that cockpit and see my boy sitting in the left seat?

Jetblue paid Kevin Fitzpatrick to protect Jetblue pilots.

Jetblue paid Ron Natalie.

 

[Mr. Johnson]

I digress for a moment; is this really something that needs to go through the court system or is it more of a publicity stunt by the prosecuting attorney's office?

 

[CaptJax]

B6 Pilot Competent To Stand Trial

Associated Press

AMARILLO, Texas – A judge ruled Friday that a JetBlue Airways pilot who left the cockpit during a flight and screamed about religion and terrorists is mentally competent to stand trial.

U.S. District Judge Mary Lou Robinson issued her ruling in Amarillo after hearing evidence about 49-year-old Clayton F. Osbon's mental competency.

Osbon recently underwent a court-ordered psychiatric evaluation at a medical facility to see if he could assist properly in his defense and to determine if he was sane at the time of the alleged offense. Robinson ruled Friday that the evaluation should be sealed.

He was indicted in April on one charge of interfering with a flight crew. The offense is defined as assaulting or intimidating the crew, interfering with its duties or diminishes its ability to operate the plane.

If convicted, Osbon could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison.
The allegation stems from an in-air incident March 27 after the plane left New York for Las Vegas.

Osbon, of Richmond Hills, Ga., who has been with JetBlue since 2000, allegedly ran through the plane's cabin yelling about Jesus and al-Qaeda. The first officer locked him out of the cockpit and passengers wrestled him to the floor before the plane made an emergency landing in Amarillo.
Shortly after leaving New York on the five-hour flight, Osbon started rambling about religion to the first officer, according to court documents. He scolded air traffic controllers to quiet down, then turned off the radios altogether, and dimmed the monitors in the cockpit. He said aloud that "things just don't matter" and encouraged his co-pilot that they take a leap of faith.

"We're not going to Vegas," Osbon said, according to the affidavit.
Osbon was suspended after the incident. JetBlue Airways spokeswoman Sharon Jones said Thursday that Osbon remains an employee and his status is inactive.

 

[Bringupthebird]

Once this begins, there will be nothing to protect pilots from prosecution.

 

[Maria]

Once this begins, there will be nothing to protect pilots from prosecution.

It started in Brazil, continued in Venezuela, and now prosecutors in the US are making their career assigning, trying, and getting convictions for aviation tragedies. It began years ago.

 

[Full of LUV]

Once this begins, there will be nothing to protect pilots from prosecution.

The guy went postal, scaring the crew and the pax, luckily the c/p and dh crew had the sense to remove him from the cockpit and restrain him, who knows what could have happened.

The guy is either mental or criminal in this case, and to just let bygones be bygones is not the answer.

Criminalizing a negligent mistake is too much, but ignoring a true risk to the safety of the plane is not analogous with the pilot profession.

 

[SpauldingSmails]

As in any case involving pilot improprieties or misdeeds; it is important to note that judges and arbitrators are the travelling public and see themselves as such. Hence, they will do as they see fit to protect the travelling public, and allow themselves to sleep soundly.

This man will never pilot a revenue flight ever again, right or wrong, the system will see to it.

 

[densoo]

when do the new rest rules start?

"A JetBlue Airways pilot who disrupted a New York-to-Las-Vegas flight by leaving the cockpit and yelling about religion and terrorists should be freed rather than committed to a mental health facility, a Texas judge ruled Friday.

Clayton Osbon was charged with interference with a flight crew for the March incident, but was found not guilty by reason of insanity in July. A forensic neuropsychologist testified in a short, unpublicized trial that Osbon had a "brief psychotic disorder" brought on by lack of sleep.

U.S. District Judge Mary Lou Robinson said Friday that Osbon would be allowed to go free, but set certain conditions for his release. He will not be allowed to fly or board any commercial or private planes without the permission of Robinson or his probation officer, and he will not be allowed to communicate with any of the passengers on the March 27 flight he disrupted, according to the judge's order.

"This is a bad situation for you and your family, but you are fortunate to have the type of immediate support that you have," Robinson said."

 

[Full of LUV]

"A JetBlue Airways pilot who disrupted a New York-to-Las-Vegas flight by leaving the cockpit and yelling about religion and terrorists should be freed rather than committed to a mental health facility, a Texas judge ruled Friday.

Clayton Osbon was charged with interference with a flight crew for the March incident, but was found not guilty by reason of insanity in July. A forensic neuropsychologist testified in a short, unpublicized trial that Osbon had a "brief psychotic disorder" brought on by lack of sleep.

U.S. District Judge Mary Lou Robinson said Friday that Osbon would be allowed to go free, but set certain conditions for his release. He will not be allowed to fly or board any commercial or private planes without the permission of Robinson or his probation officer, and he will not be allowed to communicate with any of the passengers on the March 27 flight he disrupted, according to the judge's order.

"This is a bad situation for you and your family, but you are fortunate to have the type of immediate support that you have," Robinson said."

He is fortunate to have the type of family support the judge references. Don't know him, but wish him and his family the best on their future pursuits, and hopefully a career that affords an opportunity of plenty of sleep.

 

[densoo]

He is fortunate to have the type of family support the judge references. Don't know him, but wish him and his family the best on their future pursuits, and hopefully a career that affords an opportunity of plenty of sleep.

Aye, verily.

 

[Flyer1015]

How can you be charged with interfering with yourself?

The guy needs mental help. Not a jail cell! I'm sure he didn't get up that morning and plan to willingly do this. Get him some help, and keep him out of a jail. Reserve those for the real criminals.

 

[ImbracableCrunk]

How can you be charged with interfering with yourself?

The guy needs mental help. Not a jail cell! I'm sure he didn't get up that morning and plan to willingly do this. Get him some help, and keep him out of a jail. Reserve those for the real criminals.

I think that's why the judge set him free. Per the article.

 

[OHGOON]

Seems to me the larger point is twofold. The FAA is at fault for allowing crew rest and fatigue issues to build up to the point that some of us may snap. The other broader issue is that the Feds are terminally stuck in the dark ages when it comes to mental health issues.

It's an open secret that most pilots self medicate with alcohol rather than get proper help because they know that if they honestly seek that help their Medical will be in jeopardy for several years if not forever. The result is, we have loads of functioning alcoholics at the controls. Very safe indeed..

Rant over. Hope Captain Osbon will find bigger and better things in his life and put this affair behind him asap. Godspeed to you sir.