An off-duty pilot employed by Alaska Airlines was arrested on Sunday after allegedly attempting to shut down the engines on a midair flight during a psychedelic-induced nervous breakdown. The inebriated aviator, identified as Joseph Emerson, 44, appeared in court on Tuesday facing 83 counts of attempted murder and reckless endangerment.
Emerson, a resident of Pleasant Hill, California, was riding as a passenger in the cockpit jump seat of Alaska Airlines flight 2059, operated by Horizon Air, from Everett, Washington to San Francisco, California at the time of the incident. Off-duty pilots are often allowed to hitch a free ride in the jump seat when commuting between airports, as are air traffic controllers and other employees of the Federal Aviation Administration.
The 44-year-old pilot has been flying jets since 2001 when he was hired by Alaska Airlines subsidiary Horizon Air. He transferred to Virgin America in 2002 and then rejoined Alaska when it acquired Virgin America in 2016. Emerson was last certified in July of this year.
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Emerson remained seated behind the captain and first officer until the fully occupied Embraer 175 jet was airborne, at which point the flight crew reportedly heard him say “I’m not okay” before he attempted to activate the fire suppression systems on both engines. According to a statement from Alaska Airlines, “The fire suppression system consists of a T-handle for each engine; when pulled, a valve in the wing closes to shut off fuel to the engine.”
The quick reactions of the flight crew prevented either system from being fully activated, narrowly averting a midair engine shutdown. Emerson was restrained after a 30-second struggle, after which he was escorted to the back of the plane. No injuries were reported, but the flight was redirected to an airport in Portland, Oregon to allow law enforcement to intervene.
Emerson told a flight attendant “You need to cuff me right now or it’s going to be bad. I messed everything up.” He then attempted to grab the door handle of an emergency exit during the descent.
The pilot was immediately taken into custody by waiting authorities and is being held without bail at the Multnomah County Jail. At the time of his arrest, Emerson reportedly told police that he had been battling depression for six months and had not slept in nearly 48 hours. He also mentioned that Sunday was his “first time taking mushrooms” to address his mental health issues.
Psilocybin, the active ingredient in so-called “magic mushrooms,” is legal in Oregon but outlawed in most other states, but the Food and Drug Administration has designated it as a “breakthrough therapy” for mental health treatments. However, the effects of psychedelics are still known to be unpredictable.
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According to Emerson, he experienced a “nervous breakdown” and believed he was dreaming at the time of the incident.
He appeared in federal court on Tuesday to face charges of interfering with flight crew members, which carries a 20-year prison sentence. Earlier that day, he was also hit with 83 counts of attempted murder, 83 counts of reckless endangerment, and one count of endangering an aircraft in a state court. He pled not guilty to all charges.
Alaska Airlines has removed Joseph Emerson from service indefinitely and confirmed that it is discussing his employment status with the pilots’ union.
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