Alaska Airlines pilot took hallucinogenic mushrooms and tried to crash the plane with passengers

Alaska Airlines pilot Joseph Emerson faces 83 counts of attempted murder. On October 22, under the influence of hallucinogenic mushrooms, he tried to turn off the engines in the cockpit of a flying plane, reports New York Post.

Photo: IStock

Flight 2059 was operated by Horizon Air, a regional airline owned by Alaska Airlines. He took off from Everett, Washington, bound for San Francisco shortly before 17:30 p.m. on October 22.

Joseph David Emerson, 44, tried to activate the plane's fire suppression system mid-flight, a near-disastrous maneuver. If he succeeded, he would immediately cut off the fuel supply to the engines.

“When pressed, the valve in the wing closes, cutting off fuel flow to the engine,” an Alaska Airlines spokesperson explained.

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The captain and first officer managed to subdue Emerson, who was off duty but entitled to sit in the cockpit as an airline employee.

The plane's two pilots told federal investigators they were having a "casual conversation" with Emerson when he reached for the red handles that activate the emergency fire suppression system. The pilots later told police they had no idea Emerson was going to fly off the handle. After a 30-second scuffle, he was removed from the cabin, the door locked and flight attendants notified that he was "losing his composure."

He was handcuffed at the back of the plane and then had to be restrained again as he rushed towards the emergency doors.

The pilot faces 83 counts of attempted murder. Passenger Aubrey Gavello said that before the emergency diversion, the crew asked those on board who could provide emergency medical assistance in the cabin. The plane was forced to make an emergency landing at Portland International Airport, where the suspect was detained by police. No injuries were reported as a result of the incident.

What happened to the pilot

On October 24, Emerson admitted to taking psychedelic mushrooms before the flight. Later, when questioned by police, he said he had a "nervous breakdown" after staying awake for 40 hours and taking psychedelic mushrooms for the first time.

“I didn't feel good. It seemed that the pilots were not paying attention to what was happening. It didn’t feel right,” Emerson told police.

“You need to handcuff me right now or this is going to be bad,” he told a flight attendant after he was kicked out of the cockpit, the affidavit said.

“I ruined everything,” Emerson told the crew member, adding that “he tried to kill everyone.”

Although the affidavit does not indicate whether Emerson was under the influence of mushrooms during the flight.

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“I pulled both kill switches because I thought I was dreaming and I just wanted to wake up,” he said.

After the plane carrying 83 people made a successful emergency landing in Portland, Emerson was taken into custody and booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center. He is married and has two children.

“I confess to what I did,” Emerson told Portland police officers, according to the affidavit. “I don’t dispute any charges you guys want to bring against me.”

Emerson appeared in Oregon court on October 24 afternoon. And he has pleaded not guilty to 83 counts of attempted murder and one count of endangering an aircraft, all felonies. He was also charged with 83 reckless endangerment offenses, to which he also pleaded not guilty.

Emerson told investigators he became depressed six months ago.

The pilot's neighbors in Pleasant Hill, California, where Emerson lived with his wife and children for about five years, called the incident uncharacteristic of a small-town dad.

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“When I heard about the incident, my first reaction was that he had some kind of psychological problem, because this is not normal for him at all,” said neighbor Karen Yee.

“They’re a great family and I just feel bad for them,” Yee said. “I just can’t imagine him doing what he did.” The whole neighborhood is in complete shock because everyone loves him.”

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