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Jetblue pilot not guilty but insane

Old 07-03-2012, 05:29 PM
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Default Jetblue pilot not guilty but insane

Jul 3, 2012 05:51 PM CDT

JetBlue pilot found not guilty but insane
By the CNN Wire Staff

Washington (CNN) -- A JetBlue pilot arrested after an apparent meltdown aboard a March flight has been found not guilty by reason of insanity.

A federal judge in Amarillo, Texas, made the determination Tuesday after a psychologist testified that pilot Clayton Frederick Osbon "suffered from a severe mental disease or defect that impaired his ability" to understand his actions.

Judge Mary Lou Robinson found that Osbon committed the offense of interfering with a flight crew, but she judged him to be not guilty by reason of insanity and ordered him to be held pending further examination. Osbon was ordered immediately transported to a "low-security" federal prison in Fort Worth, Texas.

Pilot breakdown draws attention to mental health standards

"We don't have a comment. We are going to let the process play out. We continue to support Osbon and his family," said Alison Croyle, a JetBlue Airways spokeswoman.

Osbon, 49, was charged following a March 27 incident on a JetBlue flight from New York to Las Vegas. Early in that flight, the plane's co-pilot became concerned about Osbon's bizarre behavior, according to an FBI affidavit.

As the Airbus A-320 was climbing out of New York's Kennedy International Airport, Osbon talked about his church and needing to "focus," the affidavit says. He then told the co-pilot to take the controls and to work the radio, and began talking about religion, making statements that were incoherent, it says.

The co-pilot became further concerned when Osbon said "things just don't matter" and when he yelled over the radio to air traffic controllers.

At one point, Osbon said "We're not going to Vegas."

Concerned by Osbon's erratic behavior, the co-pilot suggested that they invite an off-duty JetBlue captain into the cockpit. Instead, Osbon "abruptly left the cockpit to go to the forward lavatory," the affidavit said.

The co-pilot used the opportunity to get the off-duty pilot into the cockpit and lock the door.

When Osbon tried to enter his code into the cockpit door, the co-pilot announced over the public address system an order to restrain Osbon. Several passengers brought Osbon down, according to the affidavit and to passengers on the plane.

The flight was diverted to Amarillo, where it landed safely with the passengers still restraining Osbon.

Previously on CNN.com:

Investigators get voice recorder from JetBlue flight

Opinion: JetBlue passengers reacted. Would you?

JetBlue pilot charged for meltdown goes to court

Judge orders psychiatric exam for JetBlue pilot

JetBlue pilot to use insanity defense

JetBlue pilot ruled fit to stand trial
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Old 07-03-2012, 05:47 PM
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Tough situation for the F/O. Good job.
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Old 07-03-2012, 07:13 PM
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Insane in the membrane?
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Old 07-04-2012, 06:52 AM
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Yep... those psych tests really weed out the loonies.
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Old 07-04-2012, 07:03 AM
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Originally Posted by captjns View Post
Yep... those psych tests really weed out the loonies.
I don't think JetBlue conducts psych tests...correct me if I'm wrong please. Maybe after this incident that may change.
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Old 07-04-2012, 07:06 AM
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The question is what drove him over the edge? Flight crews melting down have been more frequent in the public eye lately.
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Old 07-04-2012, 07:27 AM
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Originally Posted by Elvis90 View Post
I don't think JetBlue conducts psych tests...correct me if I'm wrong please. Maybe after this incident that may change.
Maybe, but there is an airline that does do a psych eval and recently had one of their pilots beat/rape his wife. Another one tried to run down people in a DC3.

No system is perfect.
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Old 07-04-2012, 08:29 AM
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Originally Posted by xjtguy View Post
Maybe, but there is an airline that does do a psych eval and recently had one of their pilots beat/rape his wife. Another one tried to run down people in a DC3.

No system is perfect.
Are you saying this was wrong?
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Old 07-04-2012, 09:49 AM
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Originally Posted by Elvis90 View Post
I don't think JetBlue conducts psych tests...correct me if I'm wrong please. Maybe after this incident that may change.
No, but that might create some amazing movement on our seniority list!
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Old 07-04-2012, 09:57 AM
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Sooooooo, does he get to keep his job?
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