by Captain Kirby

The onset of SCP-3767

Item #: SCP-3767
Object Class: Euclid
Special Containment Procedures: Personnel embedded in United Airlines are to discourage, disrupt, and sabotage all attempts to overbook flights from Newark to Houston. Should an overbooked flight depart, Foundation personnel are to detain all passengers to administer Class-B amnestics before allowing them to disembark. Should personnel locate an individual not on the original flight manifest, they are to be detained and directed to a nearby Foundation site for further containment.
Experimentation requiring overbooked flights may be scheduled under approval from SCP-3767 project head.
Description: SCP-3767 refers to an anomalous phenomenon that occurs on overbooked United Airlines flights from Newark, New Jersey to Houston, Texas. SCP-3767 occurs approximately twenty minutes after the airplane reaches cruising altitude. The onset is indicated by a change in the color of the sky, as it will appear to take on a dark shade of purple1. This begins at the horizon, and spreads upwards. Once the sky has changed colors entirely2, the plane stops all translational movement, and enters a slowed free fall3. During this descent, the plane remains parallel to the ground, and the sky appears to grow red.
At this point, a feminine voice with a British accent will speak through the plane's speaker system. This voice will declare that an extra passenger is on board and is weighing down the plane. The voice then states that this extra passenger must be removed in order for the plane to regain lift. Video procured during testing shows that an additional passenger is indeed on board. It is unknown at what point this individual appears.
After an individual has been removed from the plane, free fall will cease, and the pilot will return the plane to cruising altitude. Ejecting this individual from the plane does not cause the cabin to undergo decompression. As the plane ascends, the sky will return to its original color. Searches of the area where the ejected individual was predicted to land have failed to locate said individual.
Passengers aboard the flight are able to recall the events that take place during SCP-3767, but only when prompted. However, they are unable to comprehend the abnormality of the event.
In 78% of recorded cases, the passengers collectively decide on an individual to remove, who is then ejected through the airlock. In 21% of cases, an individual removes themselves from the plane. See Addendum SCP-3767-1 for details on the remaining case.
In 63% of cases, one passenger on the original manifest will be reported as missing after the event, despite the same number of people getting on and off the plane.
Addendum SCP-3767-1: On 05/10/2016, The Foundation sent D-3114 to observe SCP-3767 on flight 3552. When D-3114 landed, all individuals on the original manifest were accounted for. SCP-3767 proceeded as normal, until the passengers attempted to decide who to eject from the flight:

+ Open Video Transcript

- Close Video Transcript

For brevity, the following transcription begins immediately after the announcement was made that an additional passenger was on board the flight. All footage was taken from D-3114's camera, which was planted as part of his jacket.

<Begin Log>
D-3114 is sitting in his aisle seat. The man in the next seat over has fainted. The majority of the passengers quietly murmur among themselves. A small child can be heard crying from behind D-3114. A number of additional passengers appear traumatized as well. Others move about the cabin to either reach their luggage or talk to others.
D-3114: Here we go.
D-3114 stands.
D-3114: [shouting] Well, you all heard the voice, right?
Cabin goes silent, save for a crunching noise. After the pause, a woman wearing standard business attire (Passenger A) stands and addresses D-3114.
Passenger A: You're suggesting we actually throw someone overboard?
D-3114: Do you have any better ideas?
Passenger A: Are you insane?
D-3114: Trust me lady, I've seen much weirder than this.
Passenger A: So you are insane. Please sit down and we'll get you help as soon as we land.
D-3114: I'm not ins—
A man in casual clothing (Passenger B) stands as well.
Passenger B: Are we even going to survive a landing if this keeps up?
Passenger A: I mean… I don't know but…
D-3114: You can look outside. Might not feel like it in here, but we're moving pretty fast.
Passenger A: Sure but—
Passenger B: I'm just sayin' that well, it's sorta a numbers game.
Passenger A: I guess you have a point. Besides, if it doesn't work then we'd all be fucked anyways.
D-3114: Now that's the spirit.
Passenger A glares at D-3114.
D-3114: Ok, so yeah. Everyone go to your seats. Like whatever it says on the ticket. We'll narrow it down to two people.
Passengers reorganize themselves and take their seats. The cabin is silent again, except for a soft crunching noise. Only person left in without a seat is a young child (Passenger C).
D-3114: Yo kid, where's your seat?
Passenger C approached D-3114, and points to his seat.
D-3114: Tough luck kiddo. This one's mine. Also who here is eating something? The crunching noise is really annoying.
Passenger A: Wait, who says you aren't the extra passenger?
Passenger B: Good point. Do you have anyone to vouch for you?
D-3114: Of course! I got—
D-3114 turns to the seat next to him. The man sitting there is still unconscious.
D-3114: Hey. Hey! Wake up!
Passenger B: Anyone else?
D-3114 looks at the seats across the aisle. The passengers look away from him.
D-3114: You guys don't really think that…
Passenger A: It would make sense too. He could've been trying to trick us by actively misleading our search.
D-3114: Well then I've done quite a shit job haven't I?
Passenger A: I never said you were smart.
Passenger B: Whoa whoa. Let's calm down a sec.
Passenger B walks to Passenger C and kneels so he can look Passenger C in the eye.
Passenger B: Are your mom and dad on board?
Passenger C shakes his head.
Passenger B: Where are they?
Passenger C: Th-they said they would pick me up. My grandma brought m-me here, but couldn't come with.
Passenger B: Do you have any luggage with you?
Passenger C points to the overhead compartment. Passenger B opens it and pulls out a Spiderman-themed suitcase.
Passenger B: This it?
Passenger C nods.
D-3114: How did you even get that up there?
Passenger C: He helped me [points at unconscious man next to D-3114].
Passenger A: Mad man. You have any baggage?
D-3114: Don't call me that, bitch.
Passenger B: Again, we don't need this!
D-3114: Right right.
D-3114 reaches below the seat in front of him and pulls out a backpack.
D-3114: Here.
Passenger A: Well shit.
The cabin is silent for thirty seconds. Then, a number of passengers start shouting and pointing fingers. A fight begins. After four minutes a passenger hits D-3114's camera, and the transmission is lost.
<End Log>

The flight landed on time, and all passengers exited the plane. Inspection of D-3114's camera showed no malfunction. When questioned about the conclusion of the argument, D-3114 failed to recall any specifics.
Two days later, The Foundation received reports of an aircraft matching the plane from flight 3552 appearing in the Cherokee National Forest, TN. The plane itself was largely undamaged, but all passengers inside had expired from blunt trauma that would be caused by impacting the ground at terminal velocity.
All passengers from the original manifest were present, as well as an additional unidentified male child. Autopsy of this individual showed that its insides consisted of partially eaten pretzel snacks, airplane safety cards, and emergency floatation devices.
X-ray scans of the living D-3114 in Foundation custody yielded similar results.

Footnotes
1. This change is only apparent from the inside of the plane, as outside observers have confirmed that the sky itself maintains its original color.
2. This process takes approximately ten minutes.
3. Generally remaining slower than one meter per second.

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