A former Delta Airlines pilot has been formally charged for allegedly threatening to shoot his captain during a flight last year.

Jonathan J Dunn was indicted in October by a grand jury in the state of Utah for interfering with the crew of a commercial flight.

He is accused of threatening the captain, who wanted to divert the flight for a sick passenger.

Dunn is due to be arraigned in November.

According to court documents seen on Tuesday by CBS, the BBC's US partner, Dunn "did assault and intimidate a crew member of an aircraft… and did use a dangerous weapon in assaulting and intimidating the crew member" during the August 2022 flight.

He allegedly threatened to shoot the captain "multiple times" if the flight was diverted, reads a statement from the inspector general's office at the Department of Transportation, which is investigating the incident. The FBI and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have been assisting.

Officials have not given further details about what happened afterwards.

A spokesperson for Delta Airlines confirmed to CBS that Dunn was working for them as a first officer when the incident happened.

They also confirmed that he is no longer employed by the airline.

Dunn was authorised to carry a firearm by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), an agency of the Department of Homeland Security.

Under its Federal Flight Deck Officer Program, qualified pilots and flight crew are able to act as law enforcement to defend passenger planes against acts of violence.

Dunn has since been removed from the programme, according to the TSA.

Interfering with a flight crew is a felony crime that can carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in jail. (BBC)

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