It is reported that a doctor in Seattle, Washington who had missed his flight with Northwest Airlines called the police three times to tell the operators that there was a bomb on the plane, which forced the plane’s return to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

The doctor went to court on Thursday, July 26th, and was charged with making a false threat against an aircraft. He admitted that he used a payphone at the airport to call 911 emergency services three times after he arrived at the gate too late to board the plane. After his first call of claiming there was a bomb on the plane, he looked outside and noticed that the call had no effect so he made a second and third call.

The doctor claimed that he thought the calls would make the airline ground the plane for a couple of hours because bomb threats are taken seriously. He also claimed that he had not been taking his antidepressant medication.

When the plane was brought back, it was grounded for several hours while the authorities determined the threat to be false. Northwest Airlines estimated that they lost $70,000 in fuel, gate fees, and other expenses.