Passenger who tried to storm cockpit of plane before jumping out of aircraft jailed for 18-months

A passenger who tried to storm the cockpit of a plane as it taxied at Los Angeles International Airport before jumping out of the aircraft has been jailed for 18-months.

Mexican national Luis Armando Victoria Dominguez was onboard the United Airlines flight that had pushed back at LAX on its way to Salt Lake City, Utah, last June.

The FBI says that 34-year-old Dominguez “sprinted” to the front of the plane and “began banging on the cockpit door and manipulating the locked doorknob.”

Prosecutors say that when Dominguez, who is from La Paz, Mexico, could not get in he pushed past a flight attendant and forced open an exit door, deploying the emergency slide.

The pilot had to immediately shut down the plane’s engines to prevent the slide from being sucked into them.

When a passenger tried to restrain Dominguez he broke free and jumped out of the exit door, completely missing the slide and falling onto the ground below.

“Once…Dominguez landed on the tarmac, he began crawling away from the aircraft,” the FBI affidavit stated.

“His right leg appeared to be broken.”

The flight ended up leaving California with its remaining passengers after a four hour delay.

Prosecutors stated that Dominguez’s actions endangered the lives of other passengers, and the damaged plane, operated by SkyWest Airlines, could not be used for four days.

Dominguez was also ordered to pay $20,132 in restitution.

He had pleaded guilty in October 2021 to one count of interference with flight crew members and flight attendant.