United Airlines Flight 696 was a flight from San Francisco International Airport in San Francisco, California, to Seattle, Washington, with 75 people in board on March 13, 1978, which was hijacked by a man claiming to have a bomb.

The incident resulted in no serious injuries and the arrest of the hijacker, Clay Thomas.

[1][2] After takeoff from San Francisco, Clay Thomas, claiming to have a bomb, hijacked the Boeing 727-222, demanding the plane land in Oakland, California, and fuel up for a flight to Cuba.

Panicked by the sight of police vehicles, Thomas cut the fueling short and demanded an immediate departure to Cuba.

Within five minutes of the escape and without hostages, Thomas meekly surrendered to the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation.