A former JetBlue pilot who had a midair meltdown in 2012 that forced the flight to divert has sued the airline for $14.9 million, claiming he should have been grounded, Reuters reported Friday. In the lawsuit filed in Manhattan federal court, Clayton Osbon, 52, said his irrational behavior on March 27, 2012, during the New York-to-Las Vegas flight was caused by a “complex partial brain seizure,” the report said. A few months after the incident, a federal judge had found Osbon not guilty by reason of insanity of criminal charges.
“JetBlue failed to make any effort to ensure that Captain Osbon was fit to fly,” the lawsuit said. “Instead, JetBlue maintained a culture designed to protect the careers of crewmembers that were demonstrably impaired.” Osbon claims that JetBlue should have prevented him from flying as he had missed a preflight meeting and showed up to work disheveled and disoriented, and after the incident he was subject to “national public embarrassment,” Reuters reported. JetBlue spokesman Philip Stewart told Reuters the airline stands behind “the heroic actions of the crew, who followed well established safety and security procedures both before and during the flight.” Osbon’s behavior had prompted the first officer to lock him out of the cockpit. He then ran the length of the jet ranting about terrorism and religion until passengers subdued him. Another JetBlue pilot who was aboard assisted with diverting the flight and landing in Texas.
