Hallucinating Man Who Wanted To Catch Butterfly On Hawaii Flight Pleads Guilty

HONOLULU, HI — Anil Uskanli's bizarre behavior on an American Airlines flight from Los Angeles, California, to Honolulu, Hawaii in May — including walking to the front of the plane with a blanket wrapped around his head — can be explained by the fact that he was hallucinating and trying to catch a butterfly, he said. Crew members feared his laptop contained explosives, prompting bomb-threat procedures, with fighter jets escorting the plane to Honolulu.

Uskanli, of Turkey, pleaded guilty Tuesday to interfering with a flight crew. He was sick at the time and now knows there was never a butterfly on the plane, he said,

Tuesday's hearing was delayed by several hours. U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson in Honolulu seemed annoyed that the interpreter wasn't effectively translating and abruptly walked off the bench. The hearing was already delayed by several hours because the interpreter was late. Uskanli's attorney says his client speaks and understands some English, so the hearing eventually proceeded without the use of an interpreter. (For more information on Uskanli's case and other Honolulu stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

Uskanli's attorney Richard Sing said he worked out a plea deal with prosecutors. He underwent a mental competency evaluation after his lawyer requested one. A judge later ruled he was competent to stand trial.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Morgan Early said Uskanli suffers from a "major mental illness."

Photo credit: Hawaii News Now via AP