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Nebraska man faces up to 20 years for causing emergency landing of flight in Cedar Rapids
He became combative, threatening to others during a flight in July

Oct. 7, 2025 3:17 pm
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CEDAR RAPIDS — A Nebraska man was convicted last month in federal court for attempting to open a SkyWest plane’s exit door, causing the flight to be diverted to The Eastern Iowa Airport in Cedar Rapids in July.
Mario Marco Nikprelaj, 23, of Elkhorn, Neb., pleaded Sept. 23 in U.S. District Court to one count of interference with flight crew members and attendants.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Morfitt said there wasn’t a plea agreement and Nikprelaj faces up to 20 years in prison. He will likely receive less time based on the recommended sentencing guidelines.
He was initially charged by complaint and later indicted on the interference charge.
Nikprelaj remains in jail under custody with the U.S. Marshals Service pending his sentencing.
Flight incident
According to a federal complaint, flight attendants notified the pilot before the SkyWest flight took off from Omaha, Neb., on July 17, that a passenger — Nikprelaj — seated in the exit row was being “unruly,” but the attendants were able to “satisfactorily control the situation.”
Nikprelaj boarded the flight with no checked baggage or a carry-on and was traveling with a one-way ticket to Detroit, Mich., the complaint stated.
Shortly after the flight began its ascent, Nikprelaj left his seat against the crew’s instructions and “flipped off” the flight attendants, but by the time the flight had reached 10,000 feet he returned to his seat and appeared to be falling asleep, according to the complaint.
About 20 miles from Cedar Rapids, a flight attendant made an emergency call to the pilot, advising him Nikprelaj attempted to open the plane’s emergency exit door and started fighting with other passengers.
The pilot made an emergency call to air traffic control, informing personnel he needed to make an emergency landing in at The Eastern Iowa Airport, according to the complaint.
About five minutes later, Nikprelaj was still attempting to open the emergency exit door and was fighting with one of the flight attendants, the complaint stated. The pilot, over the intercom, asked the passengers to remain seated, but he also asked if there were any passengers willing to assist the flight attendants in subduing Nikprelaj. Three passengers volunteered to help.
After the plane landed, flight attendants and passengers told authorities, during interviews, that Nikprelaj pushed, grabbed their arms and threatened to kill them while they tried to stop him from opening the exit door.
During an interview with Cedar Rapids police officers, Nikprelaj said he “smacked” a flight attendant’s hand when the attendant attempted to block him from walking down the aisle when he was required to be seated.
Police, during Nikprelaj’s arrest, found he was carrying Xanax pills concealed under his scrotum, according to the complaint.
Nikprelaj was initially charged in Linn County District Court with assault, disorderly conduct, first-degree harassment, unlawful possession of a prescription drug and failure to affix drug tax stamp, but Linn County Attorney Nick Maybanks dropped those charges when he was informed federal charges would be filed.
Trish Mehaffey covers state and federal courts for The Gazette
Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com