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

[Breezie]

Alaska Airlines pilot Joseph Emerson pleads not guilty in court

Joseph Emerson, 44, appeared in an Oregon court this afternoon after allegedly trying to shut down a plane's engine while high on magic mushrooms over the weekend.

www.dailymail.co.uk

An Alaska Airlines pilot has appeared in court on 83 counts of attempted murder after allegedly trying to shut down a plane's engine 'while high on magic mushrooms'.

 

[Seattle1]

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.

From the quoted link:

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.

Emerson had his most recent FAA medical examination last month, records show. He has a first-class medical certificate, the highest level of medical certificate awarded by the agency, which requires examinations every six months for pilots 40 and over.

^^rsbm

Emerson had a responsibility to put himself on medical leave at his physical last month if not before.

Nobody is exempt from depression and if he wanted to self-medicate, he needed to resign and find a different job.

 

[Seattle1]

I tried to reread articles but haven't found out yet about why he was in the jump seat, but I'm assuming either to get to a destination, or he was slated to fly the next leg of the flight ?

Omo.

The Flight leaving Everett was full.

Emerson wasn't certified to fly the subject aircraft but was reportedly scheduled to command his own aircraft Sunday evening after landing in SFO.

 

[Seattle1]

Off-Duty Commercial Airline Pilot Charged in Federal Court for Interfering with Flight Crew

An off-duty commercial airline pilot, who was arrested on Sunday after he attempted to shut down the engines of passenger plane in flight, has been charged in federal court.

www.justice.gov

10/24/23

According to court documents, on October 22, 2023, Port of Portland police officers responded to a report of inbound aircraft that had diverted from its route between Everett, Washington, and San Francisco to Portland International Airport due to an inflight disturbance. Police dispatch reported that Emerson, an off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot seated in a cockpit jump seat, had attempted to shut down the plane’s engines during flight.

After landing, responding officers interviewed the two pilots. The pilots recounted that, approximately halfway between Astoria, Oregon, and Portland, after engaging with them in casual conversation, Emerson attempted to grab and pull two red fire handles that would have activated the plane’s emergency fire suppression system and cut off fuel to its engines. After a brief physical struggle with the pilots, Emerson exited the cockpit.

Flight attendants placed Emerson in wrist restraints and seated him in the rear of the aircraft. During the flight’s descent, Emerson tried to grab the handle of an emergency exit. A flight attendant stopped him by placing her hands on top of his.

After landing in Portland, Emerson was arrested without further incident and booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center on multiple state charges of attempted murder and reckless endangerment. He remains in custody in Multnomah County on a federal hold pending his first appearance in federal court on a later date.

This case was investigated by the FBI and Port of Portland Police Department. It is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.

 

[Seattle1]

https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/24/us/alaska-airlines-disruption-off-duty-pilot-tuesday/index.html

10/24/23

CNN —
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.

[..]

Asked specifically if Emerson told officers he had been under the influence of mushrooms at the time of the incident, a spokesperson for the US Attorney’s Office in Oregon told CNN that remains part of their ongoing investigation.

While in custody, Emerson said he was “admitting to what I did,” per the affidavit. “I’m not fighting any charges you want to bring against me, guys,” he said.

Emerson is being held without bail at the Multnomah County Jail and appeared in court on Tuesday wearing a blue jail uniform with his hands restrained behind his back. His release was not addressed at Tuesday’s hearing, said Multnomah County Circuit Court Judge Jenna Plank, noting his case requires a “more robust release hearing” within five days. Online records do not list an attorney for Emerson, and CNN has been working to determine if he has legal representation in both state and federal court.

[..]

 

[Seattle1]

Alaska Airlines pilot who tried to cut engines said he had breakdown and thought he was dreaming, docs show

The off-duty pilot walked calmly to the back of the plane after being told to leave the cockpit and told a flight attendant, “You need to cuff me right now or it’s going to be bad,” according to court docs.

www.nbcbayarea.com

10/24/23

An off-duty airline pilot riding in an extra cockpit seat on a Horizon Air flight said “I’m not OK” just before trying to cut the engines midflight and later told police he had recently taken psychedelic mushrooms as his mental health worsened, according to charging documents made public Tuesday.

[..]

According to a probable cause statement filed in Multnomah County Circuit Court, Emerson told Port of Portland police following his arrest that he had been struggling with depression, that a friend had recently died and that he had taken psychedelic mushrooms about 48 hours before he attempted to cut the engines. He also said he had not slept in more than 40 hours, the document said.

 

[Herat]

This is even worse than I thought. From that Google article above, he was expected to take that Horizon flight because once, in San Francisco, he was scheduled to be part of the flight crew of a second plane. "Emerson was scheduled to be on a flight crew of a 737 leaving San Francisco, according to a federal official." I assume he might be a co-pilot or a pilot for that flight from San Francisco, so he knowingly took an illegal hallucinogenic drug before going to work. WOW

Did he drive to the airport by himself under the influence of mushrooms?

Whatever he was doing he was driving under the influence of an intoxicating substance, and was putting the 83 souls on that aircraft in immense danger, or possibly even more people in the second flight which was a much bigger plane, a 737.

He seems sort of odd, dare-devil type and I would have to assume he has been under the influence of hallucinogenic mushrooms in the company of his two young sons, and in more social and driving situations.

Depressed or not, he needs to go to prison for attempted murder.

Clearly, he will never work in aviation, or probably anything other than a menial job should he ever be released. His poor wife should file for divorce to get access to his assets to support her and the two children.

 

[Lore Listener]

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

I'd be curious to know why he hadn't slept in 40 hours which isn't a typical or safe thing for humans and why, being an employed, current pilot he would take the risk of taking psilocybin which is not legal in Washington and would show up on the drug tests flight crews take randomly and regularly. His story isn't passing the smell test for me.

 

[Inthedetails]

I'd be curious to know why he hadn't slept in 40 hours which isn't a typical or safe thing for humans and why, being an employed, current pilot he would take the risk of taking psilocybin which is not legal in Washington and would show up on the drug tests flight crews take randomly and regularly. His story isn't passing the smell test for me.

It's fishy to me too. And the actual event sounds so passive considering the severe danger the flight was in. During a casual conversation he reached for controls in the cockpit. Yes, there was a physical altercation but he "exited" the cockpit (not removed, shoved-out, forced, etc.). He told the crew he needed to be subdued. When he reached for the emergency exit, the flight attendant stopped him by putting hands on his hands. Even the emergency call from the pilot was low-key. I expect pilots to communicate calmly under pressure, but it was super calm.

I can't shake the idea he wanted it all to go down exactly as it did, like he did what he needed to do without actually hurting anyone to get arrested and put in prison for a long time. To me, it looks like he "ended" his life while remaining alive.

I am not certain, of course, but that's how it seems to me. At this point, I don't really believe he took 'shrooms but he is just saying he did. IDK, maybe he did.

jmo

 

[Seattle1]

Did he drive to the airport by himself under the influence of mushrooms?

^^rsbm

Given WA is not his home and he was on a scheduled layover, I doubt he operated a motor vehicle anywhere while in WA.

 

[airportwoman]

There is legitimate research being done into using psilocybin for treatment-refractory depression, but it's only used in carefully controlled situations. As for him claiming not to have slept for 40 hours, someone on another website said that sounded to him like he had flipped over into a manic phase.

This is insane (no pun intended).

 

[airportwoman]

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

I'm sure that a complete tox screen was performed at the hospital.

I also feel really bad for his wife and kids. This has got to be incredibly embarrassing for them.

 

[Seattle1]

https://www.npr.org/2023/10/24/1208244311/alaska-airlines-off-duty-pilot-switch-off-engines

Affidavit in Support of a Criminal Complaint and Arrest Warrant filed in US District Court of Oregon (Federal Charges)

https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/24080510/d-or-23-mj-00185-dckt-000001_001-filed-2023-10-23.pdf

 

[arielilane]

An off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot who tried to cut the engines on a regional jet midflight on Sunday told police after his arrest that he believed he was having a nervous breakdown, thought he was dreaming when he pulled fire handles in the cockpit, and that he had experimented with psychedelic mushrooms recently as his mental health worsened, according to a federal complaint made public Tuesday.


It was not immediately clear from the court document if 44-year-old Joseph David Emerson was high on mushrooms when he was on the plane, but an FBI agent wrote in a probable cause affidavit that the pilot spoke with police about the use of psychedelic mushrooms and “said it was his first-time taking mushrooms.”

Off-duty pilot who tried to switch off an airplane’s engine in flight told FBI it was his first time taking psychedelic mushrooms

October 24, 2023 at 4:06 PM EDT


When asked whether Emerson took psychedelic mushrooms right before the flight, Kevin Sonoff, the spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon, said that was still under investigation.

 

[Seattle1]

The truth about airline pilots: ‘We’re stressed, depressed and suffering in silence’

Overworked and understaffed, one anonymous crew member is not surprised to see colleagues leaving the industry in their droves

www.telegraph.co.uk

 

[arielilane]

Joseph David Emerson is an off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot who is accused of trying to shut down the engines on a Horizon Air flight in midair on October 22, 2023. Jail booking records show he was arrested in Portland, Oregon.

Alaska Airlines Pilot Accused of Trying to Shut Down Plane's Engines Mid-Flight

Joseph David Emerson is an off-duty pilot who is accused of trying to shut the engines down on a Horizon flight.

heavy.com

• Updated Oct 23, 2023 at 6:39pm

 

[Seattle1]

Pandemic has put long-haul pilots in a stressful tailspin

Stress levels among commercial airline pilots have skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic, putting their mental health at risk, according to a new study by th

www.unisa.edu.au

8/3/2022

The findings should be a wake-up call to the aviation industry to install targeted workplace measures to support pilots and mitigate pilot stress, the researchers told a recent conference


UniSA Senior Lecturer in Aviation, Dr Silvia Pignata, says pilots have traditionally been reluctant to talk about their stress levels, mainly due to concerns about medical certifications that require them to be both physically and mentally healthy*.


Grounded planes during the pandemic and the ongoing disruption to flight schedules have added to pilots’ stress, with between 46-82 per cent of pilots impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.


“The issue of work stress has been neglected by the aviation industry, even before the pandemic,” Dr Pignata says.


“Due to consumer demand for travel, airlines strive to keep their fleet in the air for as long as possible. Higher turnover rates mean more flight legs, increased workloads and higher stress levels for pilots. The uncertainty around the industry and conflicts with management over the past two years has just added to their stress.”


Prior studies have highlighted the mental fatigue that short haul pilots experience due to flying multiple routes in a typical day, where pilots’ heart rates can reach 88bpm during landing. Repeated take-offs and landings may exacerbate this stress.


Long-haul flights also play havoc with pilots’ body clocks, flying across multiple time zones and working irregular hours. The UniSA study reveals that long haul pilots reported the highest levels of stress and medium haul pilots reported the lowest stress levels. While long haul pilots were stressed by quarantine restrictions and enforced distance from family, some short haul pilots who were temporarily grounded due to the industry shutdown reported that they enjoyed time with their family, improving their wellbeing.

 

[Lore Listener]

An off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot who tried to cut the engines on a regional jet midflight on Sunday told police after his arrest that he believed he was having a nervous breakdown, thought he was dreaming when he pulled fire handles in the cockpit, and that he had experimented with psychedelic mushrooms recently as his mental health worsened, according to a federal complaint made public Tuesday.


It was not immediately clear from the court document if 44-year-old Joseph David Emerson was high on mushrooms when he was on the plane, but an FBI agent wrote in a probable cause affidavit that the pilot spoke with police about the use of psychedelic mushrooms and “said it was his first-time taking mushrooms.”

Off-duty pilot who tried to switch off an airplane’s engine in flight told FBI it was his first time taking psychedelic mushrooms

October 24, 2023 at 4:06 PM EDT


When asked whether Emerson took psychedelic mushrooms right before the flight, Kevin Sonoff, the spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon, said that was still under investigation.

Yeah, the language in the AA doesn't make the bolded any clearer.

The AA states: "EMERSON denied taking any medication, but he stated that approximately six months ago he became depressed. The officer and EMERSON talked about the use of psychedelic mushrooms and EMERSON said it was his first-time taking mushrooms."

"It was his first time" when? Five minutes before the flight? Six months ago when he became depressed? It kinda matters in this situation.

 

[BeginnerSleuther]

There is legitimate research being done into using psilocybin for treatment-refractory depression, but it's only used in carefully controlled situations. As for him claiming not to have slept for 40 hours, someone on another website said that sounded to him like he had flipped over into a manic phase.

This is insane (no pun intended).

I've read no evidence of mania. What's been put on this thread is not mania. Lack of sleep alone is not evidence of mania.

 

[303gmf]

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.

Reading much information just yesterday on 2 Oregon treatment locations
Michael Pollan and Ayelet Waldron both wrote good reads