Authorities said no one was hurt after Flight 2005 landed in Madison and later continued to Minneapolis.
MADISON, WI — A United Airlines flight from Chicago to Minneapolis was diverted to Madison on Friday night after officials said a 75-year-old passenger became unruly and raised a security concern near the cockpit.
United Flight 2005 landed safely at Dane County Regional Airport after the disturbance, which drew a response from airport officials, sheriff’s deputies and federal authorities. The case prompted concern because the flight crew reported a possible cockpit breach attempt, but officials later said no passengers or crew members were injured. The flight carried 147 passengers and six crew members.
The Boeing 737 left Chicago O’Hare International Airport around 8 p.m. Friday and landed in Madison around 9:30 p.m. after changing course over Wisconsin. United said the flight “landed safely in Madison” to deal with a security concern involving an unruly passenger. Dane County Regional Airport spokesperson Carrie Springer said law enforcement officers who were on the flight restrained the passenger before the plane landed. Deputies with the Dane County Sheriff’s Office then boarded the aircraft, removed the man and took him into custody.
Air traffic control audio reviewed by news outlets showed the crew describing a struggle on board before the landing. A crew member told controllers that officers had gained control of the passenger after several attempts and that he was seated with law enforcement officers nearby. The passenger’s name was not released. Officials said deputies later learned the man had been confused and was experiencing a mental health crisis during the flight. Authorities have not released a full account of what led him to leave his seat or move toward the cockpit area.
Passenger Mike Rundle said the man appeared to be in his 70s and that other people on the flight thought he seemed confused. Rundle said the man had stood up while the plane was still on the runway in Chicago and that flight attendants told him to sit down. At one point, flight attendants asked whether anyone on board spoke Russian, Rundle said. Later, he heard a commotion and saw several men leading the same passenger back to a seat. Rundle said the passenger remained quiet after being restrained.
The Dane County Sheriff’s Office said the FBI Milwaukee Field Office’s Madison Resident Agency handled the federal review of the incident. Local officials said federal authorities advised that no criminal charges be pursued. The passenger’s family in Minnesota was notified and was traveling to Madison to reunite with him. The sheriff’s office did not announce any separate local charges. The FBI and local agencies did not release details about whether the man would receive medical evaluation or other assistance after leaving custody.
The diversion caused a long delay for travelers headed to Minneapolis. After the man was removed and authorities completed their response, United Flight 2005 continued to Minnesota. The plane landed safely in Minneapolis early Saturday, around 2:15 a.m. to 2:19 a.m., nearly five hours behind its planned arrival. United said there were no reported injuries among passengers or crew members. Dane County Regional Airport said the response did not lead to wider airport disruptions after the aircraft was secured.
The incident came amid heightened public attention to unruly passenger cases, though attempted cockpit breaches remain rare on U.S. commercial flights. Cockpit doors on U.S. airliners were reinforced after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, and flight crews treat threats near the flight deck as serious security events. In this case, officials described the passenger as unruly and confused, while early reports and flight communications led to a hijacking scare. Authorities did not say the aircraft was successfully breached.
Rundle said the cabin remained calmer than the emergency might have suggested. He said the crew handled the disruption well as passengers waited for the diversion to end. “The general vibes were calm,” Rundle said. Other passengers described the event as tense but orderly once the man was restrained. The flight crew continued to communicate with controllers before landing in Madison, where deputies and federal authorities were ready to meet the plane.
As of Sunday, May 31, federal authorities were not pursuing criminal charges, and no injuries had been reported. The next step in the case rests with authorities and the passenger’s family after the Madison airport response ended and the flight completed its trip to Minneapolis.
Author note: Last updated May 31, 2026.