Man charged after trying to open door during Alaska Airlines flight

An unruly Alaska Airlines passenger was charged for attempting to open the airplane door at 18,000 feet and exit mid-flight while he was hallicunating and 'needed air.'

Kassian William Fredericks, 36, was on the evening 10 flight from Dead Horse to Anchorage on December 10 when his erratic behaviour began alarming passengers and crew.

Witnesses recalled Fredericks visibly shaking and muttering to himself during the 90 minute flight, per the probable cause affidavit from the FBI. 

'The wings have disappeared. We're all going to die,' he allegedly mumbled. 

At first, most paid no mind and wrote off the odd behavior as some sort of medical condition. Others worried he would become violent and moved away.

When the distressed passenger got up to use the bathroom, the situation on board the aircraft quickly deteriorated.

Rather than return to his seat, Fredericks headed toward the cabin door in the back of the plane. He allegedly removed the restraint strap and began to lift the latch upward.

The panicked man said he needed fresh air and claimed that invisible people were 'flying the plane from back here,' per the affidavit. 

'They're invisible,' he said. 'They're trying to take over the plane. You got to stop them.' 

Fredericks had reportedly already lifted the handle by the time three passengers rushed to stop him. It took all three to restrain him. 

The crew informed the pilot about the passenger's behavior at 8.10pm as the flight was less than 20 minutes from touchdown.

Cabin crew wanted to zip tie Fredericks to prevent further incidents, but ultimately decided it would escalate things even further. 

The Anchorage Airport Police Department was alerted about the incident by the flight crew. They involved the FBI.

Pilots considered rerouting the flight to get Fredericks off the plane sooner. They ultimately decided against it because he was not 'not vomiting or passing out.'

Fredericks was classified as a level two threat. According to National Academics, this is issued when a passenger exhibits 'physically abusive behavior.'

That includes 'openly or aggressively hostile action.'

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Witnesses later alleged to officials that  they overheard Fredericks saying several alarming things throughout the flight. 

One traveler said Fredericks seemed very nervous and even said he might be overdosing. 

'I need to call my mom,' he said, per the report.

He continuously asked flight attendants for vodka shots and to smoke a cigarette. 

'Meth is coming out of the air vents,' he told crew members during beverage service. 'Everybody is freaking out.'  

Anchorage Airport Police were waiting to escort Fredericks off the plane. 

He reportedly calmed down and apologized to the crew as he was guided away. 

A spokesperson for Alaska Airlines told the Independent that Fredericks has been banned from the airline. 

'We thank our crew for their professionalism in handling this situation, and we apologize to our guests for any concern this incident caused,' they wrote.

Fredericks was transported to Providence Hospital for medical examination.

According to the affidavit, Anchorage Police overheard Fredericks tell medical staff that he had been drinking for the last ten days and was seeing and hearing things.

He allegedly claimed that he could not remember the last two years of his life. 

The affidavit noted that Fredericks had been taking prescription Trazodone is prescribed to treats depression, anxiety and insomnia.

According to the Mayo Clinic, the medication can cause dizziness, muscle tremors and confusion. 

The Daily Mail contacted Alaska Airlines and the Anchorage Airport Police Department for more information.