A tense incident occurred when a domestic Delta Air Lines passenger plane was forced to make an emergency landing at Houston's airport after the pilot informed air traffic control that a passenger attempted to break into the cockpit.
On 18 February 2026, international news agencies reported that a Delta Air Lines Boeing 717 domestic flight 2557 had to make an emergency landing at Houston's Hobby Airport in Texas after the pilot declared an emergency and notified the air traffic control center that a passenger was trying to enter the cockpit.
Reports state the alarming event happened shortly after the plane, carrying 85 passengers and 5 crew members, took off from Houston airport heading for Atlanta, Georgia. About 17 minutes after takeoff, the pilot alerted air traffic control that a passenger was attempting to breach the cockpit door, requested assistance, and prepared for an emergency landing.
The pilot later reported that after the plane safely landed, security personnel boarded to conduct a safety inspection and detained the suspect for questioning near the rear of the aircraft to determine the motive behind the attempt.