A United Airlines flight bound for Guatemala City was forced into a dramatic emergency diversion Thursday night after a passenger allegedly attempted to open an exit door while the plane was cruising at 36,000 feet.

Flight 1551, a Boeing 737 Max 8 carrying around 145 passengers and six crew members, departed from Newark around 7 p.m. but had to land at Washington Dulles International Airport roughly 90 minutes later following the alarming mid-air disturbance.

According to the FAA and air traffic control audio, the crew reported the passenger trying to open “Door 2L” at cruising altitude. The individual then allegedly assaulted another person on board.

The plane landed safely and was immediately met by law enforcement. United described the passenger as “unruly,” and there were no reports of injuries. The original flight was canceled, with passengers offered overnight accommodations and a replacement flight the next morning.

Air traffic control recordings obtained by NBC News captured the tense exchange while the plane was still airborne. One controller asked which door the passenger had tried to open, and a crew member replied: “Door 2L at 36,000 feet.”

This terrifying incident highlights one of the worst nightmares for anyone who flies — a passenger attempting to breach the cabin at high altitude. Thankfully, modern aircraft doors are designed with multiple safety mechanisms that make them nearly impossible to open mid-flight, but the attempt alone created chaos and forced a diversion.

The event adds to a growing list of unruly passenger incidents that continue to plague commercial aviation. Under FAA rules, violators can face fines of up to $43,658 per violation, and a single case can result in multiple penalties.

As authorities investigate the passenger’s motives and actions, many travelers are left wondering what drives someone to such extreme behavior thousands of feet in the air. For the passengers and crew on Flight 1551, what should have been a routine journey turned into a frightening ordeal they won’t soon forget.