New Jersey man arrested after trying to open American Airlines flight door, unruly behavior: feds

SALT LAKE CITY -- An unruly passenger from Burlington County, New Jersey, is facing charges after investigators say he engaged in disruptive, life-threatening behavior while on an American Airlines flight.

It happened on July 18 on the Seattle-Dallas American Airlines flight No. 2101.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Utah, the flight had to be diverted to Salt Lake City after Eric Nicholas Gapco, 26, of Delanco, New Jersey, assaulted and intimidated a flight attendant and aircraft crew members.

Gapco allegedly refused to stay seated, propositioned a flight attendant for sex, vaped on the aircraft and even attempted to open the plane's exterior door multiple times on the flight, authorities said.

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In addition to allegedly being loud and bothersome to other passengers, authorities say Gapco locked himself in the bathroom before he was restrained by the flight crew.



Gapco was arrested at the Salt Lake City International Airport.

He is being charged with interference with a flight crew, and attempted damage to an aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States.

Gapco was scheduled to make an initial appearance on Aug. 1 in Salt Lake City.