Passenger Held in Threats Aboard Jet

An unruly passenger pulled a knife aboard a Dallas-bound American Airlines jetliner on a flight from Hawaii, forcing the pilot to make an emergency landing Tuesday at Los Angeles International Airport.

The 190 passengers and crew of 12 weren’t hurt, airline spokesman John Hotard said from American’s Fort Worth headquarters.

“Two hours into the flight he woke from his sleep and became unruly and got more aggressive and became verbally abusive,” FBI Special Agent Matthew McLaughlin said.

“He brandished a pocketknife with a 2-inch blade and made threatening gestures,” the agent said.

The pilot decided to land in Los Angeles. Shortly after touchdown about 1:30 a.m., as the plane was just short of the terminal, Paul Gordon Cochran forced open a door on the Boeing 767 and threatened to jump, authorities said.

Airport police waiting at the gate tackled Cochran as the aircraft neared the passenger ramp, McLaughlin said.

The 46-year-old Texas man was taken to Harbor-UCLA Medical Center for a 72-hour mental evaluation. The FBI was investigating the case as felony interference with a flight crew, punishable by five years in prison.

“There was no indication of any provocation at all,” McLaughlin said, adding that Cochran was “somewhat incoherent” when he was taken into custody.

Asked how Cochran could have gotten aboard a jetliner with a knife, McLaughlin said a knife with a 2-inch blade is permissible aboard airliners.

American Flight 8 from Honolulu to Dallas-Fort Worth was on the ground in Los Angeles for about an hour before it continued its journey.