Summary
- An Off-duty pilot has been charged with 83 counts of attempted murder after allegedly attempting to shut down engines mid-flight on an Alaska Airlines aircraft.
- The incident resulted in an emergency landing at Portland International Airport, however the aircraft touched down safely.
- The pilot, identified as Joseph David Emerson, claimed to have had a nervous breakdown, referencing lack of sleep and psychedelic drug use.
An off-duty pilot has been charged in federal court with 83 counts of attempted murder after allegedly attempting to shut down the engines of an Alaska Airlines aircraft mid-flight. Joseph David Emerson was traveling within the cockpit jumpseat of Alaska Airlines flight AS2059 when the incident took place on October twenty second.
The flight was traveling from Seattle Paine Field International Airport (PAE) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and was being operated by Horizon Air. Following the incident, the aircraft diverted to Portland International Airport (PDX).
Image: GCMap
Data from ch-aviation shows that the aircraft, registered as N660QX, is certainly one of 41 Embraer E175s in Horizon Air’s fleet. On behalf of Alaska Airlines, the carrier operates up to a few every day flights between Paine Field and San Francisco.
More on Sunday’s events
In keeping with the pilots’ report, roughly halfway through the flight, and after engaging with them in casual conversation, Emerson allegedly attempted to grab and pull two red fire handles. Had he been successful, the maneuver would have activated the aircraft’s emergency fire suppression system and cut off fuel to its engines.
Photo: GingChen | Shutterstock
The report then states that a temporary physical struggle ensued before Emerson exited the cockpit and was restrained by the cabin crew. He was then sat on the rear of the cabin, and despite reported attempts to open the aircraft’s doors throughout the descent, the Embraer E175 touched down safely in Portland.
In keeping with certainly one of the opposite passengers onboard, the situation was handled by the crew in an exemplary way, with the incident only becoming apparent when passengers were advised that the aircraft was diverting on account of a medical emergency. In a press release issued yesterday, Alaska Airlines added,
Charged in federal court
During an interview with police following his arrest, Emerson told officers that he had a nervous breakdown and that he had not slept for 40 hours. He can be believed to have made reference to taking psychedelic drugs on the time.
Photo: Thiago B Trevisan | Shutterstock
As reported by BBC News, when questioned by police in regards to the incident, Emerson responded,
“I pulled each emergency shut-off handles because I believed I used to be dreaming, and I just wanna get up. I didn’t feel okay. It gave the look of the pilots weren’t taking note of what was happening. They didn’t…it didn’t seem right. I’m admitting to what I did. I’m not fighting any charges you ought to bring against me, guys.”
Easy Flying has reached out to Alaska Airlines for further comment following Emerson being charged. The case is being prosecuted by the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon. Meanwhile, Emerson stays in custody at Multnomah County Detention Center, awaiting his next court appearance.
What do you think that of this developing story and the accusations against Emerson? Share your thoughts by commenting below.