Man kicks, tries to choke flight attendants in CA, feds say. ‘Airplane is going down’

A passenger on a flight from Southern California to San Francisco pulled down an oxygen mask and fought attendants, federal officials reported.

“This airplane is going down,” the man shouted, according to a Sept. 12 news release by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.

The incident took place on a Frontier Airlines flight that took off from John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana on Sept. 9, prosecutors said.

Attendants noticed an oxygen mask out of its compartment and discovered passenger Charles Angel Salva, 30, of Fremont, had pulled it loose, prosecutors said. A passenger later told the crew Salva seemed claustrophobic and wanted off the flight.

Another passenger helped Salva free his hand, which had become stuck pulling down the oxygen mask, prosecutors said.

Salva began cursing attendants and shouted “We are all going to hell,” before grabbing at other passengers and running to the rear of the plane, where flight attendants tried to restrain him, prosecutors said.

He tried to choke one attendant, leaving marks on the attendant’s neck, pushed another and said he was going to kill everyone, prosecutors said.

Other passengers and attendants restrained Salva, who kicked an attendant at least six times in the leg, causing bruising and swelling, prosecutors said.

He broke out of flex cuffs and had to be restrained with a seat belt, prosecutors said. The flight crew diverted the plane to Ontario International Airport, where police arrested Salva.

He is charged with interference with flight crew members and attendants, prosecutors said. Salva could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

Attorney information for Salva was not immediately available.

“We extend our utmost appreciation to the flight crew for their professionalism and to the other passengers who assisted during the incident, as well as local and federal law enforcement, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California, for their efforts to ensure justice,” Frontier Airlines said in a statement to USA Today.

Ontario is about a 35-mile drive east from downtown Los Angeles.

This story was originally published September 15, 2024 at 11:27 AM with the headline "Man kicks, tries to choke flight attendants in CA, feds say. ‘Airplane is going down’."