An American Airlines mechanic appeared in federal court in Miami on Friday, accused of tampering with a plane that was headed to the Bahamas, according to court documents and CNN.
The mechanic, Abdul Majeed, 60, was charged with willfully damaging, destroying, disabling or wrecking an aircraft, according to a criminal complaint. Reports say the plane had about 150 people on board on July 17. No one was hurt.
As the plane moved down the runway and the pilots increased engine power, an error message tied to the air data module system appeared, and the takeoff was aborted. The plane returned to the concourse, where American Airlines mechanics inspected it and reportedly found it had been tampered with.
The complaint says surveillance video showed Abdul at the gate before the flight. Investigators say the air data module reports key information such as the aircraft’s speed and pitch, and that it had been obstructed.
According to court documents, Abdul told investigators on Thursday that he accessed the module and placed a piece of foam in its inlet, then used super glue to hold the foam in place. The documents say he was upset about a contract dispute between union workers and the airline, and that he hoped to cause a delay or cancellation so he could earn overtime. Reports say he has worked for the airline for more than 30 years and told investigators he did not intend to harm the plane or its passengers.
CNN reported that no formal plea was entered at Friday’s hearing. A bond hearing was set for Wednesday, and federal prosecutors have until September 20 for a grand jury to decide whether to return an indictment. A charge is an accusation, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
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