Flight Attendant Allegedly Set Fire to Bathroom in Aircraft

DETROIT, MI – An American Airlines flight attendant who allegedly set a fire in an aircraft during a flight from Dallas to Detroit last month has been arrested, the Federal Bureau of Investigation said Wednesday.

Jonathan Tafoya-Montano, the flight attendant, reported a fire in the rear lavatory of the aircraft and extinguished the flames on Feb. 1, David P. Gelious, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Detroit Division, said in a statement.

Flight 1418 from Dallas was on already on the approach to land at the Detroit Metropolitan Airport when the fire was reported to the captain, who was granted special emergency status to land. The aircraft landed without incident and all passengers and flight crew safely disembarked.

The government alleges in a petition filed in federal court that Tafoya-Montano offered several explanations for the fire, but eventually admitted under questioning that he had used a lighter to ignite paper towels. Once the fire grew in intensity, he put it out, according to the petition.

The FBI did not disclose a motive.

Tafoya-Montano was arrested Tuesday and was officially charged in a detention hearing in U.S. District Court Wednesday with “destruction of aircraft or aircraft facilities” and “false statements or entries generally,” the FBI said.

He was released on bond with conditions, including one prohibiting him from flying without permission of the court.

Jonathan Tafoya-Montano Criminal Complaint