Free Republic

HONOLULU (AP) - A science teacher who tried to break into the cockpit of a Hawaii-bound Northwest Airlines flight - screaming the world was coming to an end - told a judge Friday he was on a mission to see the beach. Brandon Gabriel Rines was charged Friday with interfering with a flight crew. During his court appearance, Rines was talkative, erratic and disruptive - arguing with his public defender and U.S. Magistrate Barry Kurren. "My sole purpose on this mission was to see the beach," the 31-year-old Tennessee man said. "I have not seen the ocean. I have not...

<p>A 31-year-old Tennessee man is in federal custody after trying to enter the cockpit during a Northwest Airlines flight from Detroit yesterday afternoon.</p> <p>According to Department of Transportation spokesman Scott Ishikawa, the incident occurred about two hours before Flight 923 arrived in Honolulu. Ishikawa said a first-class passenger tried to enter the pilot's area. The passenger was subdued by a female flight attendant, who was assisted by two off-duty Northwest employees. No weapons were used and no one was injured.</p>

In an incident over the Pacific on Thursday night, a passenger on a Northwest Airlines flight from Detroit to Honolulu had to be restrained after he approached the cockpit, airline officials said. The man was escorted to the back of the plane by two off-duty pilots who happened to be on board and was arrested when the plane landed. Thomas Becher, a spokesman for Northwest, said he could not say whether the incident was related to terrorism... Developing...