Flight attendant restrained after 9/11 rant

Last Updated 6:54 p.m. ET

(CBS News) DALLAS - An American Airlines jet about to take off was halted after a flight attendant began "ranting" about 9/11 and claiming that the plane was about to crash.

Chicago-bound Flight 2332 had departed the gate at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport this morning and was preparing for takeoff when, according to a law enforcement officer, a female flight attendant began talking on the plane's public address system about mechanical problems. Her speech also included "ranting" about 9/11, according to CBS station KTVT in Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas.

"The flight attendant started repeating her sentences over and over again, (and) wanted us to have our seats even though we were in our seats," Stephen Termunde, who was a passenger in the 11th row, told CBS News.

Another flight attendant tried to calm others on board, as the woman continued to talk about the airline's bankruptcy. Many passengers said that she began to become incoherent.

"It was almost like she was talking and didn't realize the PA was on. We thought well maybe she's just talking to someone in the back, but no one was responding. Then we she said 'crash' twice. We knew something was wrong," Termunde said.

Some passengers helped to restrain the flight attendant. Two other crew members were reportedly injured in the altercation.

"She was in a manic state," Brad LeClear, one of the passengers who helped subdue the flight attendant, told CBS News. "She mentioned things about being bipolar. I asked her if she took lithium, she said yes. I asked her if she took it today, she said no."

"Obviously, she was not herself," he added.

One of the flight attendants was reportedly fighting police as she was put in a police car, reported KTVT.

The airline said both flight attendants were taken to a hospital for treatment, but American did not say for what they were being treated. An airport spokesman told the Associate Press that no state criminal charges are being considered.

Later Friday, American Airlines issued this statement:

"This morning Flight 2332 had left the gate at DFW bound for Chicago, when an incident occurred involving some of the cabin crew. The aircraft returned to the gate, where it was met by Department of Public Safety officers. Two flight attendants were taken to local hospitals for treatment. We continue to investigate the details and circumstances and will have no further comment at this time.We will ensure that the affected flight attendants receive proper care, and we commend our other crew members for their assistance in quickly getting the aircraft back to the gate so that customers could be re-accommodated. Our customers were not in danger at any time.

"The cabin crew was replaced. The flight departed for Chicago at 9:46 a.m., and is scheduled to land around noon. We apologize for any inconvenience to our customers and we appreciate their patience and understanding," American said.

The Association of Professional Flight Attendants confirmed today's event with CBS News by email.

"Passenger accounts have been reported in the media but details remain sketchy. The incident is being investigated by the proper authorities with the full cooperation of APFA. APFA representatives have been in contact with the crew, the company, and the authorities and are providing assistance as needed. No one was seriously injured and the flight to ORD did eventually take off with a different flight attendant crew," AFPA said.

[thomasmc1957]

Well, now that she's on the no-fly list, I guess she'll be looking for another career.

[julianpenrod]

I never said there were mind control chemicals in chemtrails. I said they were substances to facilitate weather control. knewster, in their response to my comment from 10:14 p.m., March 9, derided the idea of chemtrails spreading drugs to control people's minds, however, and "argues" that those spreading the poisons would be breathing the same. But they are for weather control. Unless knewster wants to admit they know for a fact that there are mind controlling substances in chemtrails.

[msay3]

It is sad that this flight attendant has a mental disorder (manic-depressive)and needs treatment for that disorder, but in all honesty, should she hold a position in an industry where people's lives are at stake?....especially since she was negligent in taking the prescribed medication for that disorder... This could have created a real panic among the passengers on this airliner.... What if one or more of the passengers had a heart condition and the rantings of this flight attendant caused a passenger to have a heart attack?

[sigin88]

She cracked, sad really. But we as americans have had 9/11 shoved down our throats almost 24/7 ever since it happened more than a decade ago. Everywhere you look there's some politician reminding us that so called terrorists are out to get us, and to remember 9/11. How could we ever forget it? I'll never forget the day our own government decided we needed a big excuse to go to war and to stay at war forever.

[MyVoiceOnly]

I feel for this woman. Working with the public is very stressful. Flying for a career is another stressor, it ages you rapidly. Low pay, lack of sleep, worry over the airlines' bankruptcies, etc., I'm surprised this doesn't happen more often.

A co-worker told me about an incident that happened at the previous law firm she worked at. An over-worked secretary at her witts end, actually distinegrated before her eyes, by jumping up on her desk and screaming at everyone. Mental breakdowns are not fun. Everyone has a breaking point.

[anotherfinemess]

Shame on CBS and the rest of the media for exploiting a woman with a medical condition. This incident underscores America's hypocrisy re: mental health. Where is NAMI?

[jerryomara]

Last year for the first time in Years I took an American Airlines flight from Lonmdon to Dallas, Texas. It had been my first fligth in years on a U.S. carrier. ALmost every word out of the mouth of the woman stewardess concerned 9/11. Sitiing in coach one woman asked if one the door closed could she sirch to an empty seat. SHe was told" Since 9/11 wqe can not let you switch seats. You myst stay where you are." When the plane took off nother stewardess let her move. Throughout the flight she sai dmany other things thats started "since 9/11" Obviously a sick individual.

I should add that arriving in Dallas as we walked toour connecting flight anouncements were made. About terrorits. In England especially because of the IRA in the past you are reminded that if you see a bag that is not yours lieing around call security etc. But in Dallas airport it wehtn like this.

"Please remember the threat of terrorisim. If you see suspicous people etc and it went on for 10 minutes. We all have to be careful today but the U.S. need a chill pill. Maybe its different for me coming from London where 7000 people were killed in WW2 as opposed to the U.S. where one incident made you all paranoid.

[Montana5]

"One incident"? Don't you get newspapers in the UK? In addition to losing 3000 people on 9/11, we have had two other real attempts to bring down US carrier aircraft since (underwear bomber and shoe bomber), as well as seven very conspiracies that were ended by arrests prior to mass destruction being accomplished. Don't trivialize what has happened here on 9/11 as if it were some small thing to which Americans overreacted. Your ignorance is showing.

[Montana5]

BTW, over 40,000 people were killed during the German bombings of the UK from 1937-1939, not 7,000 as you cite. You sure don't let facts get in the way.

[Vetzero58]

What a sad sad way to lose a career. Especially one like that one.

That poor girl, I can't imagine how she will ever get over what happened to her. Oh I hope she does and can go on with her life.

It's like your electrical components melting down and shorting out, you just can't control the cascading loss and you lose comprehension and coherancy even as it's happaning.

She'll probably never fly again as an FA. (that HAS to hurt)

To lose such a good job like that, a job that so many young ladies and young men aspire to. Breaks your heart.

I just hope she can recover and find her joy again.

[Transatlantique]

Or someone may have been wearing the wrong shoes with the wrong outfit.

[Transatlantique]

Mummie make it stop make it stop. Maybe the woman was suddenly possessed by a demon. Maybe she was still trippin' from the night before. Maybe it was PMS. At any rate, I wish I'd have been there and had the laugh. I read earlier that it was two women flipping out. SNL should do a sketch on this one.

[Vetzero58]

cold...brutal

You heartless child.

[AOCGUY]

You are the epitome of the sick POS' that regularly post here. I would never wish anyone to experience what this poor woman just did but in you case I might make an exception.