What happened aboard United Flight 2174 as passenger allegedly tried to storm cockpit

NEWARK, NEW JERSEY: Late Monday night, November 9, United Airlines Flight 2174 was thrown into a security crisis after a passenger allegedly announced that he was carrying a bomb and made an attempt to get to the cockpit.

Crew members reportedly intervened to keep him away from the pilots, who activated the aircraft’s hijacking code and alerted other United flights.

The Boeing 737 MAX 9 eventually reached New Orleans safely, where deputies took 34-year-old Rony Alexander Gomez-Alberto, a Honduran national, into custody.

Here is the breakdown of the frightening chain of events involving a bomb threat, an alleged attempt to breach the flight deck and a hijacking alert as the aircraft descended past 20,000 feet, with 52 people aboard.

Flight 2174 departs Newark with 52 on board

United Airlines Flight 2174 left Newark Liberty International Airport at around 9.27 pm Eastern Time on November 9, beginning its journey to Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport.

The Boeing 737 MAX 9 had 46 passengers and six crew members on board, bringing the total number of people aboard (including Gomez-Alberto) to 52.

However, several details about the accused's movements before departure remain unknown.

Authorities have not disclosed when he reached Newark, whether he arrived with anyone or checked any bags.

Investigators have also not clarified whether the backpack he later allegedly referred to while making the bomb threat was subjected to security screening or whether airport personnel noticed anything suspicious about it.

Rony Alexander Gomez-Alberto claims he has a bomb

For most of the flight, there were no reported signs of trouble.

The situation took a turn later when a passenger, subsequently identified as Rony Alexander Gomez-Alberto, allegedly began behaving erratically and informed flight attendants that he had a bomb, Jefferson Parish Sheriff Joseph Lopinto said.

Air traffic control audio cited in media reports provided another detail about the threat, with Gomez-Alberto reportedly claiming that the explosive was inside his backpack.

Authorities have not confirmed whether the backpack contained any explosives or posed an actual danger.

Suspect allegedly attempts to storm cockpit

The flight deck is separated from the passenger cabin by a reinforced door intended to prevent unauthorized entry.

According to accounts of the incident, the suspect suddenly rushed toward the cockpit before flight attendants stepped in and managed to steer him toward the rear of the aircraft.

He reportedly remained there with crew members keeping watch, while the pilots stayed behind the locked flight deck door and maintained control of the aircraft.

A separate detail emerged from communications involving air traffic control and authorities: Gomez-Alberto had reportedly changed into an all-black outfit while aboard the plane.

“He changed into all black before he started trying to reach the cockpit,” officials reportedly said in the air traffic control audio.

Officials have not said what prompted the change.

Pilots set hijack code and warn other United crews

As the pilots brought the aircraft down through about 20,000 feet, they reportedly activated transponder code 7500, the internationally recognized signal for unlawful interference, including a hijacking threat.

With a passenger allegedly claiming to have a bomb and attempting to reach the cockpit, the crew was working to contain the security threat while bringing the aircraft closer to the ground for a safe landing in New Orleans.

The crew also reportedly used the Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) to warn other United Airlines aircraft about the incident.

The message classified the situation as a Level 4 event, the highest category in the reported four-level system, indicating an attempted or actual breach of the flight deck.

Jet lands safely as police wait at the gate

Flight 2174 arrived at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport at around 11.10 pm Central Time, the Federal Aviation Administration's incident record shows.

Despite the security scare on board, the Boeing 737 MAX 9 completed its scheduled journey without being diverted.

There were no reports of a crash, emergency evacuation or injuries among those aboard.

Authorities were already waiting when the aircraft reached the gate.

Local media reports said the remaining passengers and six crew members were allowed to disembark before deputies approached Gomez-Alberto and took him into custody without resistance.

A fellow passenger told Fox News on November 11 that they grasped the gravity of the incident only after stepping off the plane and seeing law enforcement officers waiting nearby.

The 34-year-old was subsequently transported to the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center, where he was booked following the incident.

On Tuesday, November 10, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office confirmed that a 34-year-old man had been booked on two charges: communicating false information of planned arson and t*****izing.

ICE lodges detainer against suspect

The immigration angle surfaced on November 10 when Immigration and Customs Enforcement placed a detainer on Gomez-Alberto with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office.

An immigration detainer is a formal request asking local law enforcement agencies to notify federal immigration authorities before releasing an individual from their custody.

This gives ICE an opportunity to take over the person's detention and pursue separate immigration-related proceedings.

The move also means that Gomez-Alberto could face immigration action independently of the criminal case arising from the alleged bomb threat and cockpit incident.

DHS reveals suspect's immigration history

DHS records reportedly trace Gomez-Alberto’s immigration history back to 2011, when Border Patrol agents apprehended him near El Indio, Texas, following an illegal entry into the United States.

He was deported after that arrest. A second apprehension followed in October 2014, this time near Columbus, New Mexico, and he was deported again.

His next recorded encounter with Border Patrol came in 2019, near San Ysidro, California, after another attempted illegal entry.

However, he remained in the country after an immigration judge ordered his release from ICE custody in January 2020 while removal proceedings were still underway, according to DHS.

The investigation is now in the hands of federal authorities, with the FAA confirming that it has opened a probe into the onboard disturbance and the FBI taking part in the inquiry.

But several crucial details have yet to emerge.

Investigators still need to establish whether the backpack contained any hazardous material, the exact nature of the passenger’s remarks to the crew, how far he got toward the cockpit, and what the suspect's real motive was.

The next developments may hinge on whether federal prosecutors pursue charges and what evidence from flight recordings and court filings reveals about the events that unfolded inside the aircraft.