Narrative:

The 'a' flight attendant came to the cockpit with a problem passenger report; almost at that instant we were looking at physical altercation and threats of 'I'm going to kill you' all the while yelling '*@#!$& this;' and 'I'm going to get you *@#!$&;' all directed at a flight attendant. We made a decision to divert at that moment. A level 2 threat existed. The first officer was the PF. I asked him for the nearest air carrier airport and since he had flown into billings; mt; and we were 60+ mi west I instructed him to advise ATC; get the clearance; and take all flying and radio duties. I contacted dispatch; advised of our intent. He agreed and alerted local police. The seat belt sign went on; cabin duties were terminated and the cabin was prepared for a landing. The passenger was so drunk he didn't know what was happening. The flight attendants got him in his seat. We reviewed the threat 2 checklist on descent; did all appropriate checklists and landed. Authorities met us on the ramp after shutdown and escorted the passenger off. He continued his vulgar language and fought with the police all the way to the squad car. Later we were informed by a flight attendant that she had been trying to defuse the situation and while in the aft lav the passenger was kicking and banging on the lav door and walls as if to tear it up. She was able to calm him enough to get him to his seat and the other flight attendant was trying to get him seated. The flight attendants did a great job.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-200 CREW DIVERTED TO AN ENRTE STATION TO HAVE POLICE REMOVE AN IRATE/INTOXICATED PAX FROM THE ACFT.

Narrative: THE 'A' FLT ATTENDANT CAME TO THE COCKPIT WITH A PROB PAX RPT; ALMOST AT THAT INSTANT WE WERE LOOKING AT PHYSICAL ALTERCATION AND THREATS OF 'I'M GOING TO KILL YOU' ALL THE WHILE YELLING '*@#!$& THIS;' AND 'I'M GOING TO GET YOU *@#!$&;' ALL DIRECTED AT A FLT ATTENDANT. WE MADE A DECISION TO DIVERT AT THAT MOMENT. A LEVEL 2 THREAT EXISTED. THE FO WAS THE PF. I ASKED HIM FOR THE NEAREST ACR ARPT AND SINCE HE HAD FLOWN INTO BILLINGS; MT; AND WE WERE 60+ MI W I INSTRUCTED HIM TO ADVISE ATC; GET THE CLRNC; AND TAKE ALL FLYING AND RADIO DUTIES. I CONTACTED DISPATCH; ADVISED OF OUR INTENT. HE AGREED AND ALERTED LOCAL POLICE. THE SEAT BELT SIGN WENT ON; CABIN DUTIES WERE TERMINATED AND THE CABIN WAS PREPARED FOR A LNDG. THE PAX WAS SO DRUNK HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS HAPPENING. THE FLT ATTENDANTS GOT HIM IN HIS SEAT. WE REVIEWED THE THREAT 2 CHKLIST ON DSCNT; DID ALL APPROPRIATE CHKLISTS AND LANDED. AUTHORITIES MET US ON THE RAMP AFTER SHUTDOWN AND ESCORTED THE PAX OFF. HE CONTINUED HIS VULGAR LANGUAGE AND FOUGHT WITH THE POLICE ALL THE WAY TO THE SQUAD CAR. LATER WE WERE INFORMED BY A FLT ATTENDANT THAT SHE HAD BEEN TRYING TO DEFUSE THE SIT AND WHILE IN THE AFT LAV THE PAX WAS KICKING AND BANGING ON THE LAV DOOR AND WALLS AS IF TO TEAR IT UP. SHE WAS ABLE TO CALM HIM ENOUGH TO GET HIM TO HIS SEAT AND THE OTHER FLT ATTENDANT WAS TRYING TO GET HIM SEATED. THE FLT ATTENDANTS DID A GREAT JOB.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.