Frontier mechanic sabotages jet

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Frontier Mechanic Charged with Disabling Jet

DENVER (Reuters) - A Frontier Airlines Inc. mechanic was charged in federal court in Denver on Thursday with sabotaging a Dallas-bound jet to prevent it from taking off because he thought the aircraft was not safe.

Corydon Van Dyke Cochran, 44, allegedly threw a rubber wheel chock into the running engine of a Boeing 737 after deciding that was the only way to prevent Frontier flight 136 from taking off on New Year's Day.

Cochran, who has been suspended by Frontier pending an investigation, faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted, prosecutors said.

Certainly not the safest way to handle this. It doesn't seem like the aircraft had a clear problem that would define it as not airworthy, although if the mechanic felt strongly, he could have called a senior employee at Frontier's operations or perhaps the FAA.