An Arizona man has been indicted on federal charges following an alleged attack aboard a commercial flight that forced the plane to make an unscheduled landing at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI).
Layne Lundeen, 67, of Tucson, Arizona, is charged with interfering with flight crew members and attendants and assault by striking, beating, and wounding, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.
According to the indictment, the incident occurred September 3, 2026, aboard a flight traveling from Dallas, Texas, to Newark, New Jersey. Prosecutors allege Lundeen assaulted another passenger, prompting the flight to divert and land at BWI.
Lundeen is also accused of interfering with flight attendants and crew members as they attempted to perform their duties. Prosecutors allege he made physical contact with a flight attendant or crew member, disregarded instructions, used abusive and aggressive language that included racial slurs, and engaged in disruptive and hostile behavior toward crew members and other passengers.
The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes, FBI Baltimore Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, and Maryland Transportation Authority Police Chief Colonel Nicholas Augustine.
If convicted, Lundeen faces up to 20 years in federal prison for interfering with flight crew members and attendants and up to one year for assault by striking, beating, and wounding. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically below the statutory maximum and are determined by a federal judge.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Lundeen is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court. The U.S. Attorney’s Office does not provide photos of defendants.
