Man bangs on cockpit, threatens pilot and passengers in ‘terrifying’ attack, feds say
A man was standing six inches from a pilot’s face, screaming and threatening him until law enforcement stepped in and escorted him off a plane that landed Feb. 9 in New Jersey, court documents say.
Soon after the plane left Miami, Luis A. Vaquero started harassing passengers and making violent threats — then later confronted the pilot, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey.
Vaquero, 27, of Passaic County, New Jersey, mocked Jewish passengers and directed threats toward a disabled minor while the flight was in the air, prosecutors said.
His defense counsel, Adalgiza A. Nunez, declined McClatchy News’ request for comment on Feb. 11.
When a flight attendant wouldn’t serve Vaquero an alcoholic drink because the flight’s beverage service had ended, Vaquero told her: “You better watch out, (expletive) gonna happen to you,” according to prosecutors.
His behavior escalated after he heard authorities were on their way after the plane landed at Newark Liberty International Airport, prosecutors said.
The pilot announced that authorities were coming to remove a passenger from the aircraft, and asked other passengers to stay seated, according to a criminal complaint.
Following the announcement, Vaquero got up from his seat and forced his way to the front of the plane, where he started banging on the cockpit door, “yelling and cursing at the captain” before it reached the gate, the criminal complaint says.
In one of several videos reviewed by law enforcement, Vaquero is seen pounding on the door, demanding the pilot’s name and shouting expletives, according to the criminal complaint.
“I need the pilot to come outside!,” he yelled in the video, the criminal complaint says.
Then he was heard threatening to break a flight attendant’s jaw, according to the criminal complaint.
After the pilot stepped out of the cockpit, prosecutors said Vaquero confronted and threatened him close to his face before law enforcement intervened.
“Over the course of a 3-hour flight, we allege Vaquero lost his temper and physically harassed not only the crew and captain, but passengers,” FBI Newark Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly said in a statement.
“It all culminated in a terrifying attack and attempted breach of the flight deck when witnesses say he banged on the cockpit door and confronted the pilot.”
Vaquero was arrested on a charge of interfering with flight crew members and attendants by assault or intimidation, a federal offense, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
He was released from custody after appearing in federal court in Newark, according to prosecutors.
“The harrowing flight and other similar incidents onboard airplanes recently are creating tension and fear for fliers and crew members,” Reilly said. “FBI Newark has a warning for those who think it may not be a big deal — they’re breaking federal law, and they will be brought to justice.”
This story was originally published February 11, 2025 at 3:06 PM with the headline "Man bangs on cockpit, threatens pilot and passengers in ‘terrifying’ attack, feds say."
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