SkyWest Omaha–LA flight makes emergency landing after pilots mistake communication error for cockpit breach

A SkyWest flight from Omaha, Nebraska, to Los Angeles made an emergency landing minutes after takeoff on Monday night when pilots mistakenly believed someone was trying to breach the cockpit.

The SkyWest Flight 6569, operated by American Airlines, had departed Omaha’s Eppley Airfield around 7:45 p.m. when the pilots declared an emergency and turned back to the airport.

Communication mix-up triggered confusion

In a statement, SkyWest said the aircraft “returned to Omaha out of abundance of caution after experiencing communication issues with a flight crew mic.”

An American Airlines spokesperson clarified that the incident stemmed from a technical error with the intercom system used by pilots and flight attendants.

“The intercom pilots and flight attendants use to speak to each other had been left on by accident,” the spokesperson said.

Unable to communicate with the cockpit, the cabin crew began banging on the cockpit door to get the pilots’ attention, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Pilots feared a cockpit breach

The unexpected banging led the pilots to fear an attempted cockpit intrusion, prompting them to declare an emergency and return to Omaha.

Airport emergency dispatchers initially received a report of “people trying to get in to the cockpit” and called for officers to meet the plane on arrival.

Moments later, however, the dispatcher canceled the alert, saying, “Advised no emergency… There was a staffing issue.”

Flight resumes safely

After the misunderstanding was cleared, no injuries or threats were reported, and the aircraft was inspected. The flight later continued to Los Angeles without further incident.

SkyWest and American Airlines both confirmed that passenger safety was never at risk, emphasizing that the decision to return was made purely “out of an abundance of caution.”