A woman, aged 61, reportedly assaulted a flight attendant, leading to an unexpected landing of the aircraft. Tracy Barkhimer, a consultant firm executive, was on Alaska Airlines Flight 1057 from Portland, Oregon, to Dallas, Texas, when the event occurred. Authorities mentioned that the passenger exhibited erratic behavior and allegedly hit two crew members who were attempting to pacify her.
The woman was restrained, and the flight was redirected to Boise Airport in Ada County, Idaho. Police were notified of the emergency landing just before 1:30 am on Tuesday, where they met with the two crew members who requested and signed statements for a citizen’s arrest.
Barkhimer was peacefully removed from the plane, taken into custody, and booked into the Ada County Jail. She is facing charges of battery.
Alaska Airlines confirmed that their crew was medically cleared for further travel after a brief delay, and the flight resumed its journey to the intended destination. The airline clarified that only one flight attendant was assaulted, despite police records indicating two victims.
In a statement, Alaska Airlines emphasized their commitment to safety and zero tolerance for any form of violence against their staff. They expressed gratitude for the professionalism of their crew and apologized for any inconvenience caused by the incident.
Barkhimer, a retired Navy captain and helicopter pilot with over 20 years of active duty service, has reportedly been banned from flying with Alaska Airlines in the future. She currently holds the position of president at TABAS Consulting, LLC, specializing in assisting businesses seeking opportunities with Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR).
This incident follows an occurrence where a US Air Force plane carrying Secretary of War Pete Hegseth was diverted to the UK due to a mid-air emergency. Approximately 30 minutes into the flight from Brussels to Washington, the Boeing C-32A issued a “7700 squawk code,” indicating a general emergency onboard.
The aircraft experienced a depressurization problem off the south-west coast of Ireland, prompting a descent to 10,000 feet and a return back east, as reported by the aviation news network Airlive, which monitored the flight on AirNav Radar.