Prosecutors have called for Ms Cho (pictured) to be jailed for three years
A South Korean court has found a former executive of national airline Korean Air guilty of breaking aviation law over the "nut rage" case.
Heather Cho was accused of forcing the plane to turn back to the gate and offload a steward because she did not like the way she had been served nuts.
The violation can carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. Prosecutors have asked for three years.
The case has sparked huge interest in South Korea.
Cho, who was a vice-president with the airline, was found guilty of obstructing aviation safety.
She had ordered her Seoul-bound plane which was taxiing at New York's JFK Airport to return to the gate and offload the chief steward on 5 December.
Witnesses say she became angry after being served macadamia nuts in a bag and not in a bowl.
Chaebol domination
Her defence team argued that aviation safety had not been violated as the plane was still being pushed by a truck towards the runway.
However, the judge rejected that argument saying the plane was classed as in flight and she interfered, correspondents say.
Cho, who is the daughter of the chairman of Korean Air, was also charged with assault and interfering in an investigation.
Cho, also known as Cho Hyun-ah, publicly apologised for the incident and resigned from all her posts at the airline in December.
The trial has opened a national debate about the Korean business system, which is dominated by family firms known as chaebols.
Some of the families running these businesses have been accused of high-handedness and acting with impunity.