Passenger tries to open emergency exit door on Alaska Airlines flight

KPTV ^ | May 27, 2013 | Ian Forrest

[TaxPayer2000]

PORTLAND, OR (KPTV) - An Arizona man on an Alaska Airlines flight from Anchorage to Portland tried to open the emergency row exit door as the plane descended into Portland, officials said.

The attempt happened on Flight 132 around the 10,000-feet level Monday morning, said Annie Linstrom, a spokeswoman for the Portland International Airport.

The flight crew and some fellow passengers restrained 23-year-old Alexander Herrera until the plane landed.

Port of Portland police then boarded the plane, which originated in Anchorage, AK, to take him into custody.

Passengers told police Herrera made unusual statements before trying to open the door, but the FBI did not elaborate on what was said.

There were no injuries to any of the passengers on the flight.

The emergency exits have lock mechanisms to prevent passengers from opening them without approval from the flight crew so there was no danger to anyone on board, Port of Portland police said.

Herrera is being booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center. He'll likely make his first court appearance Tuesday before a federal magistrate

[B212]

sorry, maybe I misread your post....

[texas booster]

Is it possible that he waited until he thought the cabin pressure was equalized, then tried to open the door and let the door damage the plane enough to crash?

Sounds to me like he had some training (terrorist or Internet) and thought he could defeat the plane design.

The shoe bomber and underwear bomber were not trying to blow the plane to smithereens, just to damage it enough that natural forces at 300 mph+ would do the rest.

[publius911]

It is fail safe, in that if power fails in an emergency, the door unlocks automatically.

I sure hope that's true only after the plane is on the ground!

[chaosagent]

The electric lock is in addition to the standard manual locking mechanism that usually locks the door. The electric lock keeps someone from opening the door manually while the plane is taxiing, or flying under 8-10,000 feet when the pressure differential no longer keeps the door from being opened at all.