Florida woman allegedly tried to open jet door (SeaTac Airport)

The Associated Press ^ | 8/6/2005 | The Associated Press

[dila813]

A Florida woman accused of trying to open a United Airlines jet exit door as the flight descended into Seattle-Tacoma International Airport has been ordered held in lieu of $10,000 bail.

Jeanne Ann Dempsey, 52, of Dania Beach, Fla., is being held on suspicion of first-degree malicious mischief. A decision on charges is expected Monday, the King County Prosecutor's Office said.

She was arrested Wednesday by Port of Seattle police. Papers filed in King County Superior Court allege Dempsey left her seat during final descent, with the plane at 3,800 feet, and tried to open an emergency-exit door at the rear of the plane, a Boeing 737 arriving from Denver. She wasn't able to open it, but it triggered a warning light in the cockpit.

Flight attendants led her back to her seat and secured the door. Officers who arrested her said she was stumbling, confused and smelled of intoxicants, and was "mumbling something about being depressed and wanting to die," court papers said.

Copyright © 2005 The Seattle Times Company

[dila813]

Another Nut.

This is scary, she was able to mess with the door. Thank god she was weak and couldn't open it quickly (maybe wouldn't be lucky if she had really needed to open it).

[sharktrager]

From what I understand, it is impossible to open the door in flight.

[kenth]

Florida. They've got too much flouride or somethin' in the water down there.

[hoagy62]

From what the newsies were saying here (in Seattle), because of pressurization, those doors are well nigh unto impossible to open in flight. Unless she was extremeely strong and determined, they say there's no way she could've done it. She did manange to set off the door alarm by turning the handle...but that's all.

[Jet Jaguar]

ping

[doug from upland]

They led her back to her seat? You mean passengers didn't beat her to a pulp?

[burzum]

The pressure will be higher in the cabin than outside. I thought the doors were seated so that they opened outwards. If that is the case, then the pressure would make the doors easier to operate, rather than harder to operate.

Perhaps she was annoyed by the non-smoking policy on airplanes and just wanted to go outside and have a quick smoke.

[dila813]

They should have landed, then thrown her to the tarmat.

[konaice]

They led her back to her seat? You mean passengers didn't beat her to a pulp?

Passengers were instructed to remain belted in JUST IN CASE she succeeded (Didn't want anyone else sucked out), while the cabin crew pulled her away from the door and back to her seat.

[dila813]

These doors are used for emergencies too.

They have explosive bolts in them so they blow off really nice.

There is the emergency latch and then the open handle. One blows the door out for emergencies, the other opens the door for loading and unloading.

That one is prevented from opening in flight, the emergency one isn't.

She could have taken down the plane guys.

[konaice]

They should have landed, then thrown her to the tarmat.

The slapped here with Iron instead. Tarmat? You mean Tarmac:

A bituminous material used in paving; a trade name for Tar MacAdam. (2) An airport surface paved with this substance, especially a runway or an APRON at a hangar.

[spetznaz]

I don't believe in violence, but if anyone tried to open an airplane door near me, and the plane is in the air, they would be the recipient of a rather vicious roundhouse kick to the noggin'.

[Calpernia]

ping

[dila813]

yes

[Krankor]

If you get sucked out, does the airline comp you for another flight? Would you get upgraded, as well?

[Calpernia]

I've heard that too.

But we have had threads here at FR about cargo planes in Africa with doors opening and some UK flights with doors opening.

I don't know enough about planes to comment on it.

[dila813]

yes, and your whole family for the funeral.

[Publius6961]

tarmac

[konaice]

They have explosive bolts in them so they blow off really nice.

BZZZZZT Wrong, but thanks for playing.

No commercial airliner has explosive bolts on doors.

[BurbankKarl]

from what I read, all the passengers said they didnt interfere, because they thought they would get sucked out of the plane once she opened it...

Let's Roll Over....