Flight Crew Grabbed Ice Hammer, Hot Coffee Pot Because of Unruly Passenger

Joseph Lynch was convicted of interfering with flight attendants.

ByABC News
February 26, 2016, 10:27 PM

— -- Crew members on a U.S. Airways flight were set to subdue an unruly passenger last year with an ice hammer, a pot of hot coffee and plastic handcuffs, officials said Friday.

Joseph Wayne Lynch II, who also falsely claimed to be a Green Beret, was convicted this week of interfering with the flight crew aboard Flight 580 from Philadelphia to Denver on Aug. 4, 2015.

Authorities said that after Lynch missed his connection, the airline accommodated him by bumping him up to first class.

The flight crew decided to limit his access to alcohol because of his "loud and odd behavior," the Justice Department said in a release.

Lynch then moved to sit next to a woman he wanted to talk to and "became increasingly upset when the flight attendant denied him further alcoholic beverages," the DOJ said.

"At numerous times during the flight the defendant also had inappropriate physical contact with the flight attendant, including placing his hand on the small of her back repeatedly, and finally grabbing her and kissing her neck," the DOJ said. "When instructed that his conduct was inappropriate, he then began a slew of profanities directed at flight attendants and passengers."

Lynch's tirade was so loud that the captain heard it over noise cancelling headphones.

"The flight attendants got an ice hammer, a pot of hot coffee, plastic handcuffs and alerted two able-bodied passengers to assist in the event that Mr. Lynch got even further out of hand," the DOJ said.

The pilot was forced to lock down the cockpit and request law enforcement be present on arrival.

Lynch is free on bond and is expected to be sentenced on May 16.