A Delta first officer has been indicted for pulling a gun on and threatening to shoot the captain after they had a disagreement. What is wrong with people?!
In this post:
Delta first officer threatens to shoot captain
On October 18, 2023, a grand jury in the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah indicted Jonathan Dunn (hmmm…) for interfering with the crew of a commercial flight.
Dunn was a first officer with Delta, and a member of the Transportation Security Administration’s Federal Flight Deck Officer program, meaning he was authorized to carry a firearm.
Unfortunately on a Delta flight on August 22, 2022, that gun wasn’t exactly used as intended. After a disagreement between the captain and first officer about a possible diversion due to a medical issue of a passenger, Dunn pulled a gun on the captain, and said he would shoot him multiple times if he chose to divert the flight. Those are all the details we have about the incident so far, but ummm, that’s kind of inappropriate.
The TSA has confirmed that Dunn has been removed from the Federal Flight Deck Officer program, while Delta has confirmed that the pilot is no longer employed by the airline, but the airline is refraining from commenting on this matter “out of respect for the ongoing aviation authority investigation.”
The specific route of the flight hasn’t been revealed, and it’s not clear if the flight did end up diverting or not. Interfering with a flight crew is a felony that’s punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
What on earth is wrong with people?
Pilots regularly have hundreds of lives in their hands, and are flying aircraft that can cost nine figure amounts. So we’d always like to think that they’re mentally with it and make sound decisions. Of course like any other group of people, though, there are always going to be some bad apples.
But really, it doesn’t get much wilder or stranger than this. The Federal Flight Deck Officer program is intended to allow qualified pilots “to defend the flight deck of aircraft against acts of criminal violence or air piracy.” But in this case, the pilot used the gun to threaten to shoot a captain over a medical diversion?!
I can’t even imagine how off someone’s thinking must be to act in that way, since presumably you know this is a career-ender. I can’t help but be curious about how this whole situation played out. What happened after the first officer pulled the gun? That must have been an awkward remainder of the flight…
This incident has come to light just shortly after an Alaska Airlines pilot tried to shut off the engines of a Horizon Air jet while he was seated in the jump seat. The pilot had apparently recently become depressed, took psychedelics for the first time a couple of days before, and was unable to sleep since, causing him to have a mental breakdown.
It seems like there are some serious opportunities for the Federal Aviation Administration to address mental health issues. Currently this is something that seems to be swept under the rug, and no pilot wants to open up about mental health issues, out of fear of having their license revoked. Maybe addressing mental health concerns would be a better focus than the 1,500-hour rule?
Bottom line
A former Delta pilot has been indicted after he reportedly pulled a gun on his colleague during a flight, and threatened to shoot him. The disagreement revolved around a medical diversion. The pilot has now been terminated by Delta.
What do you make of this incident?
Why does any flight crew have a gun? If passengers are not allowed then there is no reason for them to have a gun too. Problem solved.
Yet ANOTHER reason not to fly Delta...EVER Tim Dunn is a False Prophet of the DL Cult. #Deltageddon
USA is beyond redemption! GUNS GUNS GUNS
WTH is the point of that program?! It’s not like anyone can get through that door if the pilot doesn’t want them to.
How did the pilot go through security with a loaded gun?
Read the post.
As Ben reported, he was a member of the Federal Flight Deck Officer program...
It’s no secret pilots are armed. It’s a program from homeland security.
Finally a pilot who does care about on time performance!
/sarc off
Get this man in a Jet Blue Cockpit ASAP
I originally read this as happening in August 2023... but this happened in August 2022?! So it took over a *year* for this co-pilot to be charged?!
Do we need armed pilots? Frankly, I’d feel much safer without the Federal Flight Deck Officer program.
I am an airline pilot and I agree. And for context I served in the military for 25 years so it’s not like I’m unfamiliar with weapons.
What was your MOS?
Agreed. Plus, I fear that the pilots who are eager to have a gun on them in the cockpit are exactly the ones who probably shouldn't have guns (like this guy). The whole program was enacted out of post 9/11 fear and paranoia, and doesn't seem like it's ever served any useful purpose.
So was this the same Jonathan Dunn that as an Air Force pilot went to the Supreme Court with a case against the Biden ainistration's vaccine mandate?
Americans or mostly republicans and the NRA. Civilised countries and people don’t need them.
Until you need Americans via the US military to carry out the hard dirty work to maintain Western hegemony your country doesn't want to do.
I alluded to your average 100 kilo republican from Hicksville who claims they need to go to Walmart with a machine gun.
Then tell Democrats to put criminals in prison where they belong
Right, because too few people in prison is a problem we actually have in America. In any event, we can't keep everyone locked up forever, and according to certain courts, it's unconstitutional to prevent former felons from owning guns...
Then tell Democrats to put criminals in prison where they belong
When they try, you scream "election interference!"
...make up your mind.
Good to know, you’ll never call 911 if you ever need help..
No civilized countries have bombings, poison gas attacks and mass stabbing events
U R A Moron ;)
Delta! Premium! Dunn! Did I mention Premium? No? Premium!
I came for the Dunn commentary but I was sadly disappointed on that front. Your comment made up for it, though. Thank you
Ben- this story has been reposted since its original publishing. What did you add/change/update?
sadly, he was the loose cannon cousin.
Not sure why this never came out at Thanksgiving dinner last year.
Hope he gets the help he needs - his career will be nowhere near aviation.
He's your relative? Ugh, tough situation. Sorry.
uh, no.
there were 2 families that left Ireland during the potato family and the name has been replicated quite well.
@Tim
Which “Potato family” do you speak of? ;)
Delta is the best airline in the world and Dunn is a hero. It is the other pilot that should be in prison for interfering with a crew (Dunn).
Lots of nuts running around but our Medical Industrial Complex and the COVID pushers seem to have no interest in why or what to do about it. Airlines are the only industry dealing with crazies on the job.
LOL you’re really off the deep end, George. Less internet and more therapy might be in order for you.
Don't forget the space lasers and lizard people, George.
And, we need to bring COVID into the discussion because . . . ? Are airlines truly the only industry dealing with crazies on the job? Just curious, how do you feel about black people voting? Or, black people in general? Or, Slavs and Asians and Jews and Muslims?
Too many guns out there in our society. Too many people with mental issues, flying under the radar and also have access to guns. Just look at our headlines in the past few weeks. What does this say about our society?
I hear Australia is nice this time of year. You should look into it, put those miles to good use.
You can’t take the valid comment? Tells me you are the problem, unwilling to fix the symptom.
You hit the nail on the head with the FAA's lack of interest in addressing mental health in a productive manner.
I know crews can bid lines to avoid working with specific other crew members. They should be able to bit to not be paired with FFDOs.
Sorry mental issues have nothing to do with this. We can’t be the only country with mental issues, we can’t be the only country with PTSD!! What about sane people who aren’t mentally ill and just snap?
This country continues to choose to follow a text that’s 300 years old, even though the society we live in is denser and more complicated. Avg ppl support these gun laws to please their corporate overlords. It’s...
Sorry mental issues have nothing to do with this. We can’t be the only country with mental issues, we can’t be the only country with PTSD!! What about sane people who aren’t mentally ill and just snap?
This country continues to choose to follow a text that’s 300 years old, even though the society we live in is denser and more complicated. Avg ppl support these gun laws to please their corporate overlords. It’s all about $$$$$ and the brainwashed masses who are doing the work for the NRA and specially interest lobby!
The country doesn't "follow a text thats 300 years old".
We manipulate and misinterpret it for personal power and profit!
Actually it's only 235 years old; but then again liberals have always been bad at math.
Haha true… I was rounding waaaaay up! :)
But you get the point. We are free from a political stance but corporates in America run the the show!
"This country continues to choose to follow a text that’s 300 years old,"
People are free to repeal the Amendment via the process built into the Constitution. It can comport to modern times as much as you want, you just need to do the leg work.
We have plenty of gun laws. The jurisdictions with the most laws have the largest problem. How is life in DC, Chicago, or Baltimore working out?
This guy is a one off and we don’t need it to springboard for a lecture on a Constitutional right.
Not true, Old Joe. Scientific studies show that certain types of gun control laws are effective at preventing certain outcomes (violent crime, mass shootings, suicides), while the evidence is otherwise mostly inconclusive. https://www.rand.org/research/gun-policy/key-findings/what-science-tells-us-about-the-effects-of-gun-policies.html
A major problem with gun laws in the U.S. is the patchwork of state laws makes it very easy for someone to bring guns from one jurisdiction to commit crimes in another. Chicago is a good example, as it is right next...
Not true, Old Joe. Scientific studies show that certain types of gun control laws are effective at preventing certain outcomes (violent crime, mass shootings, suicides), while the evidence is otherwise mostly inconclusive. https://www.rand.org/research/gun-policy/key-findings/what-science-tells-us-about-the-effects-of-gun-policies.html
A major problem with gun laws in the U.S. is the patchwork of state laws makes it very easy for someone to bring guns from one jurisdiction to commit crimes in another. Chicago is a good example, as it is right next door to states with lax gun laws. As a result, a (slight) majority of guns used for crimes in Chicago come from out of state. https://abc7chicago.com/chicago-crime-shooting-guns-illinois-gun-laws/11937013/
Your bubble.
Equity. You hire someone based on merit ; not because they’re black.
So you know all the details of this case do you? C'mon, spill. Elaborate on how this was all about equity?
You can’t help yourself, can you? How do you even walk out the front door when there’s a risk you might see someone different from you and get triggered? F***ing loser maggot. The only thing that would help you at this point would be some zip ties and an auger through each eye socket.
Mommy's little non-rev edgelord has racist take. Shocking.
What's the backstory here?
What was the diversion point? Did the first officer have a spurned lover there? Was there a warrant out for his arrest there? Was the diversion point -- quelle horreur! -- Newark?
Come on, Ben! We want to know the answers!
Wow!...NEXT!...
A nut with a gun? In America? No way!
oNlY wAy To StOp A bAd PiLoT wItH a GuN iS a GoOd PiLoT wItH a GuN
Exactly my thoughts. Guns are Viagra for Americans.
Geez.
I once had an Iraqi Air 74 pilot threaten to kill my entire "clan" because he was being speed controlled and denied a shortcut enroute to Jeddah. Very holy of him.
Thanks for sharing. What does that have to do with this story? Worthless f***ing Troglodyte.
Under sentencing guideline §2A5.2, that's likely a base level of 30, +3 for brandishing a firearm, +2 for abuse of a position of trust under §3B1.3 = offense level 35 is 168-210 months incarceration without plea/acceptance of responsibility, 121-151 months with that 3-level drop.
@Pudu,
Obviously he is trying to convey there are a few “special” pilots in all countries….stop your “pearl clutching” ffs!