Airport folliesMan breaks into Raleigh-Durham airport, takes onboard nap

Published 21 December 2006

Intoxicated suspect climbs security fence and boards a plane; discovery leads to cancelled flight; man says he “was going to take a flight”

Last week news reports highlighted a drunkard who decided to take a nap using a railroad track, Jacob-like, as a pillow. He survived when passersby called the police. Now consider this story: an intoxicated man was caught this week napping inside an airplane at Raleigh-Durham International Airport. In the wee hours of the night, it seems, he scaled a barbed wire fence and entered the craft, apparently taking advantage of a door left open by a camera crew. “When asked what his purpose was, he said that he was going to take a flight,” said airport spokeswoman Mindy Hamlin.

The unfortunate soul was charged with first-degree trespassing, illegally possessing a prescription drug, and gaining access to an aircraft without permission. Said one distressed passenger after hearing that the flight had been cancelled: “It blows my mind that you can’t get 3.5 ounces of toothpaste on a plane, yet somebody can sneak on a plane and take a nap.”

-read more in Richard Stradling and Peggy Lim’s News Observer report