United Airlines flight UA2005 from Chicago O’Hare to Minneapolis–St Paul diverted to Madison, Wisconsin, on the evening of Friday 29 May 2026 due to a security concern involving an unruly passenger, before continuing to its destination later that night.
The service was operated by a Boeing 737-900 carrying 147 passengers and six crew members. The aircraft departed Chicago at approximately 19:57 local time and landed without incident at Dane County Regional Airport in Madison at around 21:16. No injuries were reported among passengers or crew.
On arrival in Madison, deputies from the Dane County Sheriff’s Office boarded the aircraft, detained the passenger and evacuated him from the aircraft. Sheriff’s Office communications described the individual as a 75-year-old man who appeared confused and in a mental health crisis. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Madison Resident Agency, part of the Milwaukee district, is handling the investigation and has indicated that no criminal charges are being pursued at this stage.
United stated that “United flight 2005 from Chicago to Minneapolis landed safely in Madison, Wisconsin to address a security concern with an unruly passenger. The flight continued to Minneapolis later on Friday.” The diversion was treated as a security-related event but did not result in major operational disruption, with the aircraft resuming its planned sector to Minneapolis the same day.
The incident highlights how U.S. carriers and regional airports use intermediate diversion points such as Madison to manage in-flight unruly passenger events while limiting knock-on impacts to hub operations.