United Airlines flight grounded after disturbance

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Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Passenger detained
A United Airlines flight was forced to return to Washington, D.C. after a man ran towards the cockpit. He was detained by other passengers.

WASHINGTON (KTRK) -- A United Airlines spokesman says a flight headed from Washington, D.C., to Denver had to return to Dulles International Airport after a passenger failed to comply with crew instructions.

Spokesman Luke Punzenberger said in an emailed statement that Flight 1074 returned after takeoff Monday evening.

Flight 1074, en route to Denver, returned to Dulles International Airport shortly after takeoff late Monday, ABC News reports. The pilots told air traffic controllers that the passenger became violent but was restrained by passengers, according to LiveATC.net.

"He ran forward towards the cockpit and he is being restrained by passengers," said one of the pilots. "Cockpit is secure and we would like to return to the airport and have the authorities meet him."

"One held his feet and the other one kind of laid on top of him and then the flight attendants went and got some plastic restraints for his arms," said passenger Donna Tellam. "At one point when his head was down he said there were jihadists in the cargo hold and he did say jihad a couple times."

Airport spokeswoman Kimberly Gibbs said the passenger was detained by law enforcement and taken to a local hospital for evaluation.

Gibbs said early Tuesday that the flight was preparing to take off again for Denver International Airport.

The Associated Press and ABC News contributed to this report.