OR - Alaska Airlines flight diverted after off-duty pilot tries "to shut the engines down" in cockpit, audio reveals

[Dotta]

"Alaska Airlines pilot Joseph Emerson was on ​

MAGIC MUSHROOMS ​

when he 'tried to shut down plane's engine' after saying 'I'm not OK':​

Dad-of-two charged in federal court and also faces 83 counts of attempted murder."​

• Emerson says he was on magic mushrooms and 'wanted to wake up' when the chaos started, according to federal court documents.

Emerson had been casually speaking to the plane's two pilots about the weather and the fact he'd been an employee there for ten years when he suddenly threw his headset across the cockpit and announced 'I am not okay', court documents state.

After reaching for the two red levers, one of the pilots 'wrestled' him off before declaring an in-flight emergency and telling flight attendants Emerson was 'losing it'.
They then turned off autopilot and changed course for Portland, the affidavit states.

Once Emerson was locked out of the cockpit, he was seen 'peacefully walking to the back of the aircraft' and told one flight attendant he 'just got kicked out of the flight deck'.

According to the court documents, he then warned: 'You need to cuff me right now or it's going to be bad.'

Flight attendants had to place Emerson in wrist restraints and seat him in the rear of the aircraft.
Emerson then tried to grab the handle of an emergency exit and a flight attendant stopped him by placing her hands on top of his, according to the DOJ.

One of the attendants also claimed he made statements including
'I messed everything up', and 'he tried to kill everybody'.

In a recorded interview with cops, Emerson said he believed he was having a 'nervous breakdown' and had not slept in 40 hours, the affidavit states.

'I didn't feel okay. It seemed like the pilots weren't paying attention to what was going on. They didn't... it didn't seem right,' he told police.

Emerson denied taking any medication but spoke with cops about using psychedelic mushrooms - telling them it was his first time taking the drug.

According to the affidavit, Emerson asked if he could waive his right to an attorney at the Port of Portland police department, and said:

'I'm admitting to what I did. I'm not fighting any charges you want to bring against me, guys.'

Emerson had been sitting in the third 'jump' seat of the cockpit when the chaos started - a seat commonly used by off-duty pilots who need to fly a later flight so they don't need to take up a passenger seat.

The captain told ground control:

'We've got the guy that tried to shut the engines down out of the cockpit. He doesn't sound like he's causing any issue in the back right now, and I think he's subdued. Other than that, yeah, we want law enforcement as soon as we get on the ground and parked.'

There were 80 passengers including children along with four crewmembers on board the plane."

Pilot on MAGIC MUSHROOMS when he 'tried to shut down plane's engine'

Off-duty pilot Joseph Emerson, 44, told federal officials: 'Yah …I pulled both emergency shut off handles because I thought I was dreaming and I just wanna wake up.'

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[NeverPersonal]

The tombstones in the yard....I don't care if it's Halloween.

Lol? That's a very common thing.

The German pilot was suicidal and knowingly broke the law -- told doctors he was on sick leave.

Prosecutors said an examination of a tablet computer found at his apartment revealed he had recently used internet search terms such as cockpit doors and their security and suicide methods.

It was also reported that Lubitz told doctors he was on sick leave rather than flying and had been prescribed an anti-anxiety drug so strong it can increase the risk of suicide.

Damn. I am so glad this guy failed at what he attempted to do, and I feel anger and fear and shock toward him, but I also really feel for the guy. This is not a black and white situation.

 

[NeverPersonal]

"Alaska Airlines pilot Joseph Emerson was on ​

MAGIC MUSHROOMS ​

when he 'tried to shut down plane's engine' after saying 'I'm not OK':​

Dad-of-two charged in federal court and also faces 83 counts of attempted murder."​

Pilot on MAGIC MUSHROOMS when he 'tried to shut down plane's engine'

Off-duty pilot Joseph Emerson, 44, told federal officials: 'Yah …I pulled both emergency shut off handles because I thought I was dreaming and I just wanna wake up.'

www.dailymail.co.uk

Hm. I'd need another source besides DM to believe it fully. But that makes sense if he was struggling with depression & anxiety. The only person I know who has ever said their depression is CURED, is my friend who microdosed MM for a year.

 

[Breezie]

Off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot accused of trying to shut engines had "soul-chilling" look, passenger says

Veteran pilot Joseph Emerson, 44, was charged with more than 80 counts of attempted murder after, authorities said, he tried to cut the plane's engines during the flight.

www.nbcnews.com

This was an unexpected reason for his actions

The off-duty pilot accused of trying to bring down an Alaska Airlines flight told investigators he had not slept for 40 hours and believed he was having a "nervous breakdown," and also admitted to the use of psychedelic mushrooms, according to a federal complaint filed Tuesday.

 

[Betty P]

"Alaska Airlines pilot Joseph Emerson was on ​

MAGIC MUSHROOMS ​

when he 'tried to shut down plane's engine' after saying 'I'm not OK':​

Dad-of-two charged in federal court and also faces 83 counts of attempted murder."​

• Emerson says he was on magic mushrooms and 'wanted to wake up' when the chaos started, according to federal court documents."

Pilot on MAGIC MUSHROOMS when he 'tried to shut down plane's engine'

Off-duty pilot Joseph Emerson, 44, told federal officials: 'Yah …I pulled both emergency shut off handles because I thought I was dreaming and I just wanna wake up.'

www.dailymail.co.uk

What?!!! No! That's not safe. Holy cow!

 

[Inthedetails]

The German pilot was suicidal and knowingly broke the law -- told doctors he was on sick leave.

Prosecutors said an examination of a tablet computer found at his apartment revealed he had recently used internet search terms such as cockpit doors and their security and suicide methods.

It was also reported that Lubitz told doctors he was on sick leave rather than flying and had been prescribed an anti-anxiety drug so strong it can increase the risk of suicide.

Attention! The pilot named Lubitz being discussed is ANOTHER pilot, a German pilot who deliberately crashed into the Alps a few years ago. It is NOT the pilot who is the topic of this thread, who is an American named Emerson.

jmo

 

[Chimera]

Super thankful this pilot was in a 'jump seat' and not flying the plane !
Whew.
Still, mushrooms or not -- he's in a lot of trouble.
Omo.

 

[Inthedetails]

Super thankful this pilot was in a 'jump seat' and not flying the plane !
Whew.
Still, mushrooms or not -- he's in a lot of trouble.
Omo.

Really dumb decision by the pilot. Ruined his career.

I am glad, however, to learn he likely didn't intend to kill the passengers (assuming his mushroom and nervous breakdown story is true).

jmo

 

[arielilane]

The off-duty pilot accused of trying to bring down an Alaska Airlines flight told investigators he had not slept for 40 hours and believed he was having a "nervous breakdown," and also admitted to the use of psychedelic mushrooms, according to a federal complaint filed Tuesday.


The FBI is investigating whether the off-duty pilot — Joseph Emerson, 44, of California — was under the influence when he tried to shut down the plane's engines while sitting in the cockpit of Sunday's flight from Everett, Washington, to San Francisco, officials told NBC News.


Emerson denied to investigators he had taken any medications before getting on the flight, but spoke about becoming depressed six months ago and said it was his first time taking mushrooms, the complaint said.

Off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot accused of trying to shut engines had "soul-chilling" look, passenger says

Updated Oct. 24, 2023, 2:55 PM EDT

 

[Chimera]

Really dumb decision by the pilot. Ruined his career.

I am glad, however, to learn he likely didn't intend to kill the passengers (assuming his mushroom and nervous breakdown story is true).

jmo

Would they (the pilot's superiors) have checked his blood, etc.; to see if he was showing signs of having consumed a substance ?

 

[Dotta]

Really dumb decision by the pilot. Ruined his career.

I am glad, however, to learn he likely didn't intend to kill the passengers (assuming his mushroom and nervous breakdown story is true).

jmo

Let's be grateful this person DID NOT ruin innocent people's lives!!!

I couldn't care less about his "career"

 

[Chimera]

Let's be grateful this person DID NOT ruin innocent people's lives!!!

I don't care about his "career"

Yep. If he'd succeeded, those people would be dead.
I understand the requirements for pilots are pretty stringent, including psych. tests ?
Omo.

 

[gitana1]

Amazing and quick response by the crew to subdue this guy!

What’s scary is this guy is a pilot and could have easily done this while piloting a plane. Then it would have been harder to subdue him. If at all possible.

 

[Breezie]

'I'm not okay:' Pleasant Hill pilot charged with attempted murder admits to nervous breakdown

In a stunning acknowledgment, the Pleasant Hill pilot charged with trying to shut off a plane's engines told authorities that he felt like he was suffering a nervous breakdown and was not OK.

www.ktvu.com

"Yah…I pulled both emergency shut off handles because I thought I was dreaming and I just wanna wake up," Joseph David Emerson said, according to the federal affidavit filed Tuesday against him in U.S. District Court in Oregon. "I'm admitting to what I did. I'm not fighting any charges you want to bring against me, guys."

In court documents also filed Tuesday by the Multnomah County District Attorney in Oregon, Emerson clarified that he had taken the mushrooms 48 hours before boarding the plane. The effects of mushrooms wear off in roughly 24 hours, experts say.

It's hard to know exactly what Emerson was thinking, but he was heard saying to some flight attendants: "You need to cuff me right now or it's going to be bad."

Flight attendants put handcuffs on Emerson's wrists.

Upon descent, Emerson turned toward an emergency exit and tried to grab the door handle, but a flight attendant stopped him.

Another flight attendant heard Emerson saying, "I messed everything up," admitting that he "tried to kill everybody."


The DA there charged Emerson with 167 counts, including 83 of attempted murder – one for each passenger, 11 of whom were 14 years old or younger.

 

[Inthedetails]

Would they (the pilot's superiors) have checked his blood, etc.; to see if he was showing signs of having consumed a substance ?

Not when he was simply hitching a ride in the jump seat - at least I wouldn't think so.

jmo

 

[Dotta]

Emerson clarified that he had taken the mushrooms 48 hours before boarding the plane. The effects of mushrooms wear off in roughly 24 hours, experts say.

48 hours??
Really???
Colour me doubtful

 

[arielilane]

NEW: Alaska Airlines says its workers observed *no signs* that off-duty pilot Joseph Emerson may have been on mushrooms, a claim laid out in new federal charges that he interfered with the flight crew.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1716908923171852301

 

[Inthedetails]

'I'm not okay:' Pleasant Hill pilot charged with attempted murder admits to nervous breakdown

In a stunning acknowledgment, the Pleasant Hill pilot charged with trying to shut off a plane's engines told authorities that he felt like he was suffering a nervous breakdown and was not OK.

www.ktvu.com

"Yah…I pulled both emergency shut off handles because I thought I was dreaming and I just wanna wake up," Joseph David Emerson said, according to the federal affidavit filed Tuesday against him in U.S. District Court in Oregon. "I'm admitting to what I did. I'm not fighting any charges you want to bring against me, guys."

In court documents also filed Tuesday by the Multnomah County District Attorney in Oregon, Emerson clarified that he had taken the mushrooms 48 hours before boarding the plane. The effects of mushrooms wear off in roughly 24 hours, experts say.

It's hard to know exactly what Emerson was thinking, but he was heard saying to some flight attendants: "You need to cuff me right now or it's going to be bad."

Flight attendants put handcuffs on Emerson's wrists.

Upon descent, Emerson turned toward an emergency exit and tried to grab the door handle, but a flight attendant stopped him.


The DA there charged Emerson with 167 counts, including 83 of attempted murder – one for each passenger, 11 of whom were 14 years old or younger.

If the effects wear off in 24 hours and he took them 48 hours before the flight, are they completely out his system? Can they test to see if his story is true about taking them?

jmo

 

[Inthedetails]

NEW: Alaska Airlines says its workers observed *no signs* that off-duty pilot Joseph Emerson may have been on mushrooms, a claim laid out in new federal charges that he interfered with the flight crew.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1716908923171852301

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So he tried to cut the engines in the cockpit and then tried to open the emergency exit while in the rear of the airplane....yet appeared calm and not impaired? This is so strange.

jmo

 

[arielilane]

Been wanting to say: that's an interesting photo. moo


JUST IN: Alaska Airlines pilot Joseph Emerson is now charged in FEDERAL court with interfering with a flight crew. Docs say as he lunged for the engine fire handles, he said "I'm not okay."He told police he hadn't slept in 40 hours, was depressed, and admitted to "what I did."

https://twitter.com/x/status/1716889354780704868