[imagesource: Airlines.net / Rainer Bexten]

A small plane was headed for a tiny town in Alaska when a teenager allegedly tried to end his life by hopping into the cockpit, taking control of the plane’s yoke, and trying to nosedive it into the ground.

Luckily, the pilot was able to regain control and steer the plane to a safe landing.

Per Flying Mag, Alaskan State Troopers in Aniak confirmed there were no injuries after the 18-year-old, identified as Jaden Lake-Kameroff, momentarily hijacked the plane.

On the Ryan Air flight to Aniak from Bethel, Kameroff was one of six other passengers on board the small Cessna Caravan plane (similar to the one pictured above).

Today has more:

[Kameroff] told Trooper Jason Bohac he tried to end his life while on the plane and indicated he had spoken with behavioural health officials before but felt it hadn’t helped, according to an affidavit by Bohac that accompanied assault and attempted assault charges.

Kameroff was sitting in the first row behind the empty co-pilot’s seat, where there was no barrier like there is in a bigger plane.

Another passenger onboard also reported that the teenager “seemed to have anxiety before boarding the plane”.

He asked the pilot if he could sit in the right front seat and fly the aeroplane, both of which were denied by the pilot.

The State Trooper report continues:

“The pilot was able to regain control of the aircraft with the assistance of passengers who pulled Kameroff away from the yoke.

During the incident, a woman grabbed Kameroff after the pilot pushed him away from the controls while passengers held him down.”

Once the plane landed safely in Aniak, the 18-year-old was arrested, troopers confirmed.

Kameroff was arrested on charges of “terroristic threatening in the second degree, as well as five counts of attempted assault in the first degree and four counts of assault in the third degree”.

Meanwhile, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement that it was aware of the incident and investigating further.

[sources:flyingmag&today]