Marine Veteran Stops Passenger From Opening Door Mid-Flight on Frontier Flight
A Frontier Airlines flight from Denver to Memphis was forced to turn back Tuesday after a passenger attempted to open an emergency exit mid-flight. Thanks to the quick actions of a Marine Corps veteran and fellow passengers, a potentially disastrous situation was averted.
Timothy Leatherwood, a Marine veteran, was onboard Frontier Flight 4626 when the drama unfolded shortly after takeoff from Denver International Airport. Leatherwood said he noticed other passengers shifting uncomfortably and removed his headset when he heard a flight attendant scream.
“That type of scream—it just put me into action,” Leatherwood said. “I just had to get back there.”
Rushing toward the rear of the aircraft, Leatherwood saw a man pulling on the red emergency exit handle. “He’s yanking on it,” he recalled. “I got my hand on his hand, and I’m trying to pull it off. His body was moving, but his hand wasn’t coming off that door.”
With help from other passengers, Leatherwood managed to subdue the man and pin him to the floor until the aircraft returned to Denver. They held him down until the plane made an emergency landing, where Denver police took the man into custody. The flight attendant involved sustained minor injuries but no other passengers were harmed.
Following the safe landing, video captured applause from the cabin as the pilot praised those who intervened, saying, “Our best friends are in the back of the airplane—would you give them a round of applause?”
Leatherwood said the gratitude from both the crew and fellow passengers was overwhelming. “There was a lot of love going on afterwards. We definitely felt it.”
The flight later continued to Memphis after what Frontier described as a minor delay. Denver Police confirmed the suspect was turned over to the FBI, which is now handling the investigation. The agency has not yet released details on the suspect or any potential charges.
