Off-duty Pilot Allegedly Attempts to Shut Down Engines Midflight
The off-duty pilot accused of trying to shut down the engines of an Alaska Airlines plane midflight on Sunday said he was having a nervous breakdown and told the flight crew he needed to be subdued, according to a federal complaint.
Alaska Airlines pilot Joseph D. Emerson, 44, has been charged in federal court with interfering with a flight crew, the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon announced Tuesday. Emerson attempted to cut fuel to the plane’s engines while the flight was en route from Washington state to San Francisco on Sunday, according to authorities.
The quick action of the aircraft’s captain and first officer prevented the engines from failing completely. Emerson was subdued by members of the flight crew but then attempted to grab the handle of an emergency exit during the flight’s descent.
While in custody, Emerson told a police officer he became depressed about six months ago and discussed psychedelic mushrooms with the responding officer. Authorities do not believe the incident was an act of terrorism or ideologically motivated violence but may have been the result of a mental health episode.
Flight Details and Incident Description
After taking off from Everett, Washington, on Sunday, Alaska Airlines Flight 2059 reported a “security threat related to an off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot, identified as Captain Joseph Emerson, who was traveling in the flight deck jump seat.”
Emerson had tried to shut down both of the Embraer 175’s engines by pulling its fire extinguisher handles. The crew quickly reset the handles, restoring fuel flow and preventing engine failure.
Emerson engaged the pilots in small talk before attempting to shut down the engines. He was subsequently subdued by the pilots and flight crew and was taken into custody upon landing in Portland, Oregon.
Passengers Describe Their Emergency Landing
Passengers on the flight praised the airline crew for maintaining a calm environment during the incident. They were informed by the flight attendants and later the pilot that there had been a disturbance in the cockpit.
The passengers were unaware of the seriousness of the situation until after the landing when news headlines about the incident emerged. They expressed gratitude for not knowing all the details before reboarding a second plane.
Emerson’s neighbor described the incident as shocking and remarked on Emerson’s seemingly normal behavior prior to the incident.
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