An off-duty pilot is facing serious charges after a harrowing incident during a recent flight. Joseph David Emerson, a 44-year-old pilot for Alaska Airlines, was on board an Alaska Airlines flight from Everett, Washington, to San Francisco as a standby employee passenger when the situation took a bizarre turn. He confessed to authorities that he had ingested psychedelic mushrooms, also called magic mushrooms, just two days before the flight and had not slept for a staggering 40 hours.
Emerson’s actions were nothing short of alarming. Court documents have revealed that he attempted to disable the plane’s engines while it was mid-flight.
The drama unfolded in the cockpit of the plane as it was airborne. Emerson, seated in the cockpit’s “jump seat,” suddenly made a lunge for the controls. He desperately tried to reach for handles that, if manipulated, could have deprived the plane’s engines of fuel, effectively turning it into a glider. This action posed a severe threat to the safety of everyone on board.
The ensuing commotion inside the cockpit led to a brief but intense scuffle between Emerson, the captain, and the first officer. Fortunately, other crew members quickly intervened, managing to restrain Emerson and prevent any further harm. The flight was subsequently diverted to Portland, Oregon, where it landed safely.
Also Read: Off-Duty Pilot Arrested After Disrupting Alaska Airlines Flight
In the aftermath of the alarming incident, Joseph David Emerson found himself facing a series of serious charges. In Oregon state court, he was charged with a staggering 83 counts of attempted murder, representing each person on the plane apart from himself. In addition to this, he faces a single count of endangering an aircraft.
At a court arraignment held in Multnomah County Circuit Court in Portland, Emerson entered a plea of not guilty to the numerous charges. He has been ordered to remain in custody until a detention hearing, which is scheduled to take place within the next five days.
In addition to the state charges, Emerson was also charged in federal court with a single count of interfering with flight crew members and attendants, further emphasizing the gravity of his actions.
This incident has not only sent shockwaves through the aviation industry but has also raised concerns about the potential risks of individuals traveling on standby in the cockpit.