Woman jumps from taxiing airplane at Houston airport

(AP)

A woman aboard a United flight from New Orleans to Houston jumped from the taxiing plane into a restricted area Monday, witnesses said.

According to Fox 26 Houston, police said the incident occurred at around 1:20 p.m. at George Bush Intercontinental Airport. The woman opened the emergency door on Flight 1982 and then jumped out.

Prosecutors said the woman is undergoing psychological tests, KHOU-TV reported.

Hampton Friedman told the station that he saw the woman jump from the moving plane.

"I look over and sunlight and I just see a figure essentially step out of it," he said. "And then I'm like what was that."

Passengers sat on the runway for more than an hour as authorities chased down the fleeing passenger.

The FBI was called to investigate, but turned the case over to Houston police after concluding there was no federal case.

Click for more from Fox 26 Houston.