Crazed passenger tries to storm plane cockpit, breaks four of police officer’s ribs

“Air rage” is defined as disruptive or violent behavior on the part of the passengers or the crew of an aircraft during flight.

It’s a description that certainly fits the shocking antics of Matthew Dingley who tried to storm the cockpit of a United Airlines flight from Washington, D.C. to Newark last week. But it doesn’t begin to explain why the deranged Dingley behaved the way he did.

This week, investigators are beginning the process of trying to figure out what made the 28-year-old snap and try to break down the door to get to the pilot.

After all, he had managed to get through most of the flight resisting the urge to get his hands on the plane’s controls. His attempt to get into the cockpit came only as the flight was preparing to land at Newark last Thursday evening.

A passenger on the flight told NBC that the terrifying incident started when Dingley sprinted at the cockpit and began to pound on the door. The passenger, Mike Egbert, said Dingley then attacked a flight attendant who tried to intervene. Other passengers on the plane stepped in to help the attendant and brought the situation under control, Egbert said.

When the plane landed at Newark, police officers immediately boarded to try to subdue the maniac. But Dingley, perhaps with the superhuman strength that only a crazy person can muster, charged the officers, sending them falling down the boarding stairs leading up to the plane.

Officers were eventually able to restrain Dingley. The injured officers and the flight attendant were taken to a hospital. One of those poor officers suffered four broken ribs as he fell down the boarding stairs.

“He picks up a police officer, throws the police officer,” Egbert said. “If he did actually get into that cockpit lord knows what would have happened.”

Dingley was charged with aggravated assault, criminal trespassing, resisting arrest and interfering with transportation.