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An Alaska Airlines passenger reportedly attempted to open a cabin door mid-flight, prompting fellow passengers to intervene and restrain him.
Kassian William Fredericks was on board Flight 87 en route to Anchorage last Wednesday when he allegedly ran to the cabin door and tried to pry it open, according to an FBI probable cause affidavit obtained by The Post. A passenger returning from the bathroom reportedly found Fredericks “aggressively trying to open the rear cabin door.”
The passenger quickly grabbed Fredericks, who had lifted the door’s arm, but he continued trying to stand, repeatedly saying, “I need to call my mom,” and asking for a cigarette. According to the affidavit, he also asked, “How do I break the window? I don’t know how to break it,” and claimed he was trying to open the door because he “need[ed] air and to get out of here.” Fredericks was reportedly shaking throughout the incident.
Another passenger assisting in restraining him recalled Fredericks shouting, “Stop the plane, stop the plane,” and claiming, “They’re flying the plane from back here… No, they’re invisible. They’re trying to take over the plane. You got to stop them.” The passenger also saw him take a pill with Gatorade, which initially seemed to calm him but was followed by more erratic behavior.
Flight crew told authorities they did not believe Fredericks was intoxicated but noticed his unusual behavior and assumed his shaking could be due to a medical condition. The crew considered restraining him with zip ties but decided it might escalate the situation. The pilot contacted ground controllers, who involved the FBI, and Fredericks was escorted off the plane upon landing in Anchorage. He “apologized to the crew and seemed to have calmed down,” the affidavit said.
At a hospital, Fredericks reportedly told a police officer that he “had been drinking alcohol for the last nine to 10 days,” was experiencing hallucinations, and “could not remember the last two years of his life.” He also stated he was taking the prescription medication Trazodone for depression, anxiety, and insomnia.
In a statement, Alaska Airlines confirmed the incident and said Fredericks has been banned from flying with the airline.
“A passenger onboard Alaska Airlines Flight 87 from Deadhorse, AK, to Anchorage displayed erratic behavior and attempted to open one of the emergency doors,” the airline said. “The passenger was intercepted and restrained until the aircraft landed safely in Anchorage, where law enforcement and EMTs met the plane. The passenger who caused the incident has been banned from flying with us. We thank our crew for their professionalism and apologize to our guests for any concern this incident caused.”
Fredericks was later arrested and charged with interfering with flight crew members. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison.
