Pilot of Alaska Airlines tried to disable engines while under the influence of hallucinogens: details of the incident.

Former pilot of Alaska Airlines attempted to turn off the engines of the plane while under the influence of mushrooms

According to The Sun: The former pilot of Alaska Airlines, Joseph David Emerson, pleaded guilty to endangering over 83 people when he caused chaos in the cockpit of a flight heading to California in 2023.

Emerson's actions led to the diversion of the Alaska Airlines flight to Portland, Oregon.Facebook

Within 90 seconds, the two pilots of Horizon Air Flight 2059 struggled with the off-duty pilot who was sitting in a jump seat in the cockpit during a flight from Everett to San Francisco on October 22, 2023.

Emerson was removed from the cockpit, and the plane was diverted to Portland, landing safely with 84 people on board.

Before this horrific incident, he told the pilots:

“I’m not okay”

, according to court documents.

After he was subdued, he told flight attendants:

“You need to restrain me right now, or things are going to get bad”

and tried to grab the emergency exit handle as the plane was approaching landing, according to court documents.

One of the flight attendants heard Emerson say:

“I messed everything up”

and that he

“tried to kill everyone”

.

He later told police that he had consumed psychedelic mushrooms before the flight and was trying to fight off depression.

In court on Friday, Emerson admitted that he never intended to hurt anyone but noted:

“I still made the decision to consume psilocybin, and that led to my inability to realize that I was controlling reality for a long time”

.

He also emphasized:

“That doesn’t make it right”

and

“What happened was wrong and should not have happened, and I take responsibility for it”

.

Emerson pleaded guilty to a federal crime, recognized for 83 counts of threatening another person and one count of threatening an aircraft, CBS News reported.

Previously, he had not pleaded guilty to all charges and was released pending trial in December 2023.

This time, he was sentenced to 50 days in jail – which he has already served – and five years of probation.

Prosecutors may recommend a one-year prison sentence, although his attorneys are likely to argue against further punishment.

He is also required to complete 664 hours of community service – eight hours for each person he threatened – and pay $60,659 in restitution, according to CBS News.

 

“What Joseph Emerson did was reckless, selfish, and criminal,”

noted the deputy district attorney for Multnomah County, Oregon, Eric Picard.

 

“We must remember how close he came to ruining lives of not only the 84 people on board Flight 2059 but also all their families and friends.”

Emerson said that despite the loss of his career and the face of punishment, it was the “greatest gift” he ever received, as it forced him to confront his psychological issues and substance use.

 

“This difficult journey has made me a better father, a better husband, a better member of my community”

, he stated. Facebook

This incident once again underscores the serious consequences of using psychoactive substances, especially in professional fields where safety is paramount. Emerson's situation raises concerns not only among aviation companies but also within society as a whole, as similar incidents can threaten people's lives. It is important to conduct further research and training on mental health and safe use of such substances to prevent similar tragedies in the future.