An Alaska Airlines flight bound for San Francisco made an unscheduled landing on Oct. 22 after an off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot allegedly attempted to disrupt the operation of the plane’s engines, which was described by officials as a “credible security threat.”
The flight, which was operated by the carrier’s regional subsidiary Horizon Airlines, had departed from Everett, Washington, when its crew reported a “credible security threat related to an authorized occupant in the flight deck jump seat,” Alaska Airlines said.
“The jump seat occupant unsuccessfully attempted to disrupt the operation of the engines,” the carrier said in a statement to news outlets. “The Horizon Captain and First Officer quickly responded, engine power was not lost, and the crew secured the aircraft without incident.” The pilots diverted the plane to Portland, Oregon.
Representatives of Alaska Airlines didn’t respond by press time to a request by The Epoch Times for comment.
Officials with the Port of Portland Police Department told local media that the suspect was identified as Mr. Emerson.
“All passengers on board were able to travel on a later flight,” Alaska Airlines also said in a statement. “We are grateful for the professional handling of the situation by the Horizon flight crew and appreciate our guests’ calm and patience throughout this event.”
It isn’t clear what the possible motive may have been.
Officials with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) told news outlets that the agency is investigating the matter. An FAA notice that addressed the incident was sent out to U.S. airline companies.
“The event remains under investigation by law enforcement, no further details will be provided at this time.”
“I think he’s subdued,“ the pilot said, referring to the suspect. ”Other than that, we want law enforcement as soon as we get on the ground and are parked.”
FBI Portland Special Agent in Charge Kieran Ramsey told CNBC in a statement that the federal law enforcement agency “can assure the traveling public there is no continuing threat related to this incident.” No injuries were reported, the FBI official said.
More Incidents
Over the weekend, the FAA confirmed to news outlets that it’s investigating another incident involving an Alaska Airlines plane after the plane and one operated by SkyWest nearly collided at the Portland International Airport.“While attempting to land at Portland International Airport, the pilot of Alaska Airlines Flight 1299 initiated a go-around due to wind and turned toward SkyWest Airlines Flight 3978, which had just departed,” the FAA said in a statement. “An air traffic controller instructed the Alaska Airlines pilot to turn away from the SkyWest aircraft. ... The FAA will determine the closest proximity between the aircraft as part of the investigation.”
That incident occurred on Oct. 16 amid reports that heavy winds and rain as well as low visibility presented challenging conditions for pilots. Local news outlet The Oregonian, citing flight data available online, estimated that the planes came within about 250 feet of one another at one point.
Alaska Airlines told multiple news outlets that the weather caused the pilot to conduct a “routine go-around” and that another plane was “departing on the parallel runway to the north which created a potential traffic conflict.”
“The flight departed normally with pilots following Air Traffic Control instructions and landed routinely at Seattle,” SkyWest said in a statement. “At no point was the safety of the flight compromised.”
