Emergency Reported On Chicago-Bound American Flight

UPDATED: 7/2/2013 3:23 p.m

CHICAGO (CBS) -- For the second time in as many days, the same passenger caused an emergency in the air, forcing a pilot to divert the flight.

On Tuesday, it was an American Airlines flight that had to be diverted on its way to Chicago. On Monday, the same man caused a disturbance on US Airways Flight 390. That flight did not involve a stop in Chicago.

An American Airlines spokeswoman said there was a disruptive passenger on board Flight 3172 after takeoff from Albuquerque, N.M., before 8 a.m. on Tuesday.

"He was being belligerent," said passenger Tom Vigil of Albuquerque.

Another passenger said a vacationing federal agent on the flight helped defuse the situation.

The man, who appeared to be intoxicated, was apparently trying to smoke a cigarette and was headed toward the emergency door.

"He actually leaped over some people and was trying to get to the door," passenger Kevin Mugen said.

Nobody had to physically restrain the passenger, who eventually returned to his seat.

The pilot was forced to divert to Kansas City, where police took the unnamed passenger in custody.

The flight with 63 passengers and four crew members then continued on their way to O'Hare International Airport.

The flight was delayed by about two hours.