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Man Convicted Of Disrupting Flight On Approach To Tampa

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By ELAINE SILVESTRINI | The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 6, 2008

TAMPA – A federal jury has convicted a 53-year-old Chicago man with interference with a flight crew for being disruptive while on a plane approaching Tampa International Airport in January.

According to a complaint affidavit, Gene R. Komosa stood up in his seat on Southwest 3238 about 20 minutes before the aircraft landed, and refused multiple commands to sit down. Komosa made sexual remarks and used racial slurs to a flight attendant, the complaint states.

"Komosa was also flailing his arms around uncontrollably and hit the flight attendant in the face," the complaint states. An off-duty law enforcement officer and a flight attendant heard Komosa say something like, "I'm going to blow the plane up," the affidavit states.

Two passengers reported Komosa used offensive language and sexual innuendo and struck them, the affidavit states. The captain of the airplane said the disruption came at a "very critical time in flight and was a major distraction," the complaint states.

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