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Man authorities say jumped security fence, boarded plane at Melbourne airport to be deported

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — A 22-year-old flight student who investigators said jumped a security fence at Melbourne International Airport and reached the cockpit of an empty jet will be deported to Trinidad, officials said.

Nishal Sankat pleaded guilty Monday to one charge of burglary to a conveyance.

Investigators said that, on Sept. 20, Sankat drove to the curb outside the airport, left his car running, hopped a fence and boarded an American Airlines Airbus 321 aircraft that was sitting in a maintenance facility.

An avionics technician who was in the plane's galley asked to see Sankat’s badge.

The technician, with the help of his co-worker, grabbed Sankat and held him down while they called police. But Sankat broke free and ran along the airfield before being captured by police two minutes later.

His plea was part of an agreement reached after investigators, including police and the FBI, concluded that Sankat acted alone and was suffering from depression and mental health issues when he breached airport security and boarded the plane.

Sankat’s visa will be revoked, he will be deported to Trinidad and he will be placed on the no-fly list. Officials said the process to revoke his pilot’s license with the Federal Aviation Administration is underway.

As a convicted felon, he will not be allowed to return to the U.S.

A judge ordered that Sankat pay the Melbourne Airport Police Department $909.45 to cover the cost of the investigation.

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