American Eagle Embraer E170 diverted to Buffalo after passenger allegedly urinates in aisle

An American Eagle Embraer E170 regional jet en route to Manchester Boston Regional Airport (MHT) was forced to divert to Buffalo (BUF) after a passenger allegedly exposed himself and urinated in the aisle of the aircraft, according to a statement from the United States Attorney’s Office, Western District of New York, on July 3, 2024.

Accused of exhibitionism

The 25-year-old Oregon man was arrested and charged with indecent exposure, a charge that carries a maximum sentence of six months in prison and a $5,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. Kruly said that, according to the complaint, Niagara Frontier Transit Authority (NFTA) police were called to Gate 2 of Buffalo International Airport (BUF) on July 3, 2024. They were responding to a report from American Eagle Flight AA 3921 that a man had exposed himself and urinated in the aisle while the plane was in flight.

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Upon landing, an officer boarded the American Eagle Embraer E170 and spoke with a flight attendant, who reported that the Oregon man had exposed himself and urinated during the flight. The man was then taken into custody and escorted off the plane.

It should be noted that, according to the Ministry of Justice, the defendant “made an initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and was released on his own recognizance.”

AA Flight 3921

The flight was a routine two-hour American Eagle regional flight from Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) to Manchester Boston Regional Airport (MHT) on the airline’s Embraer E170 regional jet.

However, more than halfway through the flight, the plane was diverted to Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF) due to disruptive passengers. Here’s what American Airlines said in a statement to Simple Flying:

“American Eagle Flight 3921, operated by Envoy Air, from Chicago (ORD) to Manchester (MHT), was diverted to Buffalo (BUF) due to a disruptive customer. The aircraft was met by law enforcement upon arrival at BUF and departed shortly thereafter. We thank our team members for their professionalism and our customers for their understanding.”

Shortly after the regional jet landed at BUF, the same Embraer E170 took off to take its passengers to their final destination at MHT. According to Flightradar24.com data, the flight from BUF to MHT took a total of 54 minutes. The plane landed without further incident.

The aircraft in question was one of the airline’s Embraer E170 regional jets, registration N771JV. According to Planespotters.net, the regional jet is 18.9 years old and was originally operated by the now-defunct Ecuadorian airline Tame before joining the American Eagle fleet.

It is worth noting that American Eagle’s fleet of Embraer E170s can accommodate a total of 65 passengers. According to Planespotters.net, American Eagle operates a fleet of 40 Embraer E170 jets.

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The carrier was the exclusive operator of the route for almost a year after its launch.

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