US man charged after walking on United Airline plane wing

The 57-year old man was caught running along the tarmac. Photo / Pexels

A 57-year-old Californian has been charged after opening a plane's emergency exit door while it taxied, walking along its wing then jumping onto the tarmac.

However, Randy Frank Davila's actions were not considered a federal crime because there were no "signs on the emergency door nor on the tarmac" indicating it was a "criminal" offence.

Davila has instead been charged with misdemeanour reckless conduct for climbing out of United Airlines Flight 2478 at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport.

According to Chicago Police, the incident occurred at around 4.31 am on Thursday as the jet approached the gate at Terminal 1.

Police stated Davila was denied alcohol service by flight attendants and talked to himself during the flight.

After jumping onto the tarmac, the man appeared to try and 'guide' the aircraft to its gate, police reported.

United crew members then stopped the passenger on the tarmac. Fellow passengers had to wait 20 minutes on the runway before the aircraft could continue to taxi to the gate, where they exited.

The aircraft was delayed 20 minutes before the aircraft continued to taxi to the gate, where the rest of the passengers exited.

Fellow passenger Mary Ellen Eggleston, who appeared to be sitting a few rows away from Davila, told ABC News the event was unbelievable.

"It was pretty surreal. I don't think anybody knew what to think of it."

Davila is due to return to court in Chicago with a pledge bond of US$3000 in late June.

He will not be charged with a federal crime since there was "neither signage on the emergency door nor on the tarmac informing a person that exiting a moving aircraft would constitute a criminal encroachment on restricted areas."