George Naccara, federal security director for the Transportation Security Administration for Massachusetts' airport, said the female passenger aboard United Flight 923 said she was claustrophobic and became very upset and got into a confrontation with the flight crew.
He said there was no indication of terrorism and denied reports that the woman had a screw driver, matches and a note referring to al-Qaeda.
Mr Naccara added that he did not believe any items the woman was carrying were the cause of the outburst.
An airport spokesman previously said the woman was carrying lotion, a screw driver and matches but later backed away the statement.
A US transportation security spokesman said a "disruptive" passenger was being questioned by authorities after the United aircraft landed without incident at Logan airport in the eastern US state of Massachusetts.
The aircraft was carrying 182 passengers and 12 crew members.
The incident occurred amid stepped-up airport security implemented after British authorities said last Thursday that they had foiled an alleged plot to blow up US-bound airliners in mid-air.
The passengers were taken to Logan's international terminal, while US television networks showed sniffer dogs checking their luggage, which was spread out on the airport's tarmac.
CNN earlier reported that the disruptive passenger, a woman, was carrying matches, a screwdriver, Vaseline, which is a petroleum jelly, and two notes referring to Al-Qaeda.
But the US television network later said there were contradictory reports about what she was carrying.
Fox News Channel said the plane was diverted to Boston after the pilot declared a "security emergency."
Passenger lists
The US homeland security chief Michael Chertoff has told AP that airlines will soon be required to give the US government passenger lists for all US-bound flights before takeoff.
The new regulations, which could be in place by early next year, would make counter-terrorism measures taken after last week's foiled bomb plot permanent.
Airlines have resisted handing over the lists, concerned that the time it takes for the government to screen passenger names against terrorism "no-fly" databases will bring costly delays.