Panicking plane passenger was 'almost sucked into jet engine'

Desperate passengers and staff on board the plane tried to restrain him from leaping out of the plane's cabin door, and possibly into the powerful jet engines. Photo / Facebook

A panicking plane passenger was almost "sucked into a jet engine" after opening a cabin door just before take off.

The panic stricken passenger, American Tommy Gray, of Centralia, Missouri, was on a Frontier Airlines plane to St Louis, Missouri, from Cancun, Mexico, when he became ill.

In a shocking video, recorded by passenger Kathleen Ingram, the man is seen opening the cabin door in a panic while the powerful jet engines were running.

When the cabin door was opened, an emergency slide was also deployed.

The aircraft has been taken out of service since the viral clip surfaced while an aircraft maintenance team investigates why the slide automatically deployed.

Passengers claim Gray ran up to the cockpit and started pounding on the door.

The panic stricken passenger, left, was on a Frontier Airlines plane to St Louis, Missouri, from Cancun, Mexico, when he became ill. Photo / Facebook

Cabin crew intervened and returned the man to his seat, but Gray then got up and opened the cabin door.

Startled passengers and staff on board the plane tried to restrain him from leaping out of the plane, and possibly into the powerful jet engines.

Mr Gray was on a flight with his father, and had been assaulted the previous night at his hotel in Mexico, Fox News reported.

His mother said he had gone on a trip with his father to Cancun in Mexico.

She also suggested his drink was spiked.