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An 18-year-old passenger on a Cessna Caravan tried to crash the plane into the Alaskan wilderness. During a 90-mile Ryan Air flight from Bethel to Aniak, Jaden Lake-Kameroff asked the pilot if he could try to fly the aircraft and sit in the co-pilot seat. Both of his requests were denied.
When the plane was about five miles from Aniak Airport, Lake-Kameroff jumped out of his seat and managed to take control of the yoke. He sent the plane, which was between 1,500 and 1,000 feet above the ground, into a nose-dive. The passengers managed to pull the teen off the controls, and the pilot was able to land the plane safely. There were six people on the flight.
Lake-Kameroff was taken into custody when the plane landed and is facing numerous charges, including second-degree terroristic threatening, five counts of first-degree attempted assault, and four counts of third-degree assault. He told police that he was trying to end his life and had previously received treatment from a behavioral specialist.
“Our pilot relied heavily on his training procedures and his professionalism and landed without further incident,” a spokesperson for Ryan Air told the Anchorage Daily News. “We’re extremely thankful for the safe outcome and extremely grateful for the passengers and the pilot and (flight) command collectively working together to land safely.”