Officials: Passenger on Las Vegas flight accused of making threat

Officials: Passenger accused of making threat

LAS VEGAS — A passenger on a Las Vegas to Phoenix flight allegedly made a threat after it was forced to return to the airport because of a mechanical problem, officials said.

U.S. Airways flight 399 carrying 130 people departed about 4:30 p.m. Saturday for Phoenix, but the Airbus 320 returned shortly after takeoff, McCarran International Airport spokeswoman Candice Seeley said.

“The passenger made some sort of threat” after the plane landed, Seeley said. She didn’t know specifics.

Police were called and they met the aircraft.

Transportation Safety Administration spokeswoman Jonella Culmer said the passenger made an “inappropriate comment” as the plane taxied back to the gate.

Police and the FBI told the Las Vegas Sun that they’re investigating but no arrests have been made.

“It does not appear to be terrorist related at this point,” FBI Special Agent Joseph Dickey told the paper on Saturday.

Two passengers — one male and one female — were interviewed by FBI agents, but neither were arrested, Dickey told The Associated Press in an e-mail Sunday.