Pilot's alleged foul mouth scuttles flight

LAS VEGAS, April 7 (UPI) -- Northwest Airlines is reviewing why a pilot allegedly spewed profanity in an airplane lavatory and then dropped the "f-bomb" on a passenger in Las Vegas.

The alleged outburst by the veteran pilot, whose name was not released, resulted in Friday's Northwest Flight 1190 to Detroit being canceled, The Detroit News reported Saturday.

"People were saying they heard swearing, screaming and yelling and they were getting nervous," passenger Jeanine Peters said. "There was police cars out there and people running up to the plane."

Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor said the pilot came out of the lavatory and was confronted by a passenger.

"The pilot allegedly laid an f-bomb, and cursed at the passenger," Gregor said.

The flight, which was to carry 180 passengers and a five-member crew, was canceled after the pilot talked to FAA and Northwest officials. Las Vegas police also interviewed the pilot but a sobriety test was not conducted, Gregor said.

Northwest Airlines said only that the flight was canceled because of inappropriate language by a crew member and apologized to its customers for the delay.

Gregor said the FAA will wait for Northwest to present its findings before making its ruling.