A 23-year-old unemployed man from southwest China managed to board a plane disguised as a pilot, pulling off a feat carried out by Leonardo DiCaprio on screen.

Shu Shi turned up at Beijing Capital International Airport in April, fully dressed and equipped like a pilot of the airline company whose flight he wanted to board, The Beijing News reported on June 7, which did not identify the carrier.

He had bought the uniform online and downloaded various identification documents, succeeded in getting on the plane which was headed for his home province, Guizhou.

He got caught only after the plane's pilot noticed his aviation knowledge was somewhat at odds with reality, then he was put under supervision after take-off and handed over to police upon arrival.

Shu was detained for 10 days and fined 500 yuan (US$65), according to the news report.

In the 2002 Steven Spielberg movie Catch Me If You Can, DiCaprio performs similar acts of deception before he gets discovered.