Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Pilot Trapped In Airplane Pisser Causes Terror Panic
By
Jamie Feldmar
Published Nov 17, 2011
Modified Nov 17, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jamie Feldmar
Published Nov 17, 2011
Modified Nov 17, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
A pilot in a LaGuardia-bound flight from North Carolina got locked in the bathroom of his own plane last night, triggering an accent-fueled terror scare that was completely, totally, absolutely, ridiculously unnecessary.
Here's what happened: The Chatauqua Airlines pilot decided to go to the bathroom shortly before landing at Laguardia (thus confirming our longstanding belief that nothing bad will actually happen if you get up while the seatbelt signal is on). But a jammed door left him trapped in there, so he started pounding on the door so someone would come help. A passenger, who just so happened to have a "thick Middle Eastern accent," heard the pilot and went to alert the crew. That's when the paranoid co-pilot freaked out:
“The captain disappeared in the back, and, uh, I have someone with a thick foreign accent trying to access the cockpit," he radioed air traffic control. What I’m being told is he’s stuck in the [lavatory], and, uh, someone with a thick foreign accent is giving me a password to access the cockpit...I'm not about to let him in."
The controller told the co-pilot to declare an emergency and "just get on the ground." Fortunately, the pilot managed to bust open the bathroom door and returned, assuring everyone on the ground that there was "no threat" from the passenger who was just trying to help. The plane landed at Laguardia around 6:30 p.m. last night, where cops spoke to the passenger and "quickly realized it was all a misunderstanding," which is exactly what they said about Cat Stevens Yusuf Islam, too.
Here's the audio of the "jittery" co-pilot explaining the situation:
Tagged
accent
airplane
bathroom
laguardia
locked door
pilot
terrorism
travel
Jamie Feldmar
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Queens man found dead, police say, and injured woman is his mother, neighbors say
Police are investigating a related incident in which a 62-year-old woman was found injured beneath the Van Wyck Expressway.
By
Charles Lane
Published Oct 14, 2026 at 7:39 p.m. ET
Man shot by ICE in NYC's Marble Hill said federal officers never identified themselves
The wounded man said he didn't learn ICE agents were involved until he woke up in the hospital.
By
Arya Sundaram
and
Samantha Max
News
Man shot by ICE in NYC's Marble Hill said federal officers never identified themselves
The wounded man said he didn't learn ICE agents were involved until he woke up in the hospital.
By
Arya Sundaram
and
Samantha Max
Brooklyn school dean says MTA officers assaulted him over a $3 bus fare he says he paid
By
Carol Chen
National Grid customers in NYC will see higher gas bills this winter
By
Rosemary Misdary
Bruce Blakeman joins Gov. Hochul in support for expanding NY rape law
By
Jon Campbell
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .