An Oregon grand jury has indicted an off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot with 84 counts after he allegedly tried to shut off a plane’s engines mid-flight in October, but they decided not to pursue attempted murder charges.
Pilot Joseph D. Emerson, 44, was charged with one count of endangering an aircraft and 83 counts of recklessly endangering another person, Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt said on Dec. 5.
He was arrested on Oct. 22—the same day the incident occurred on the plane flying from Everett, Washington, to San Francisco, California.
Mr. Emerson was accused of attempting to 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, Mr. Emerson had his wrists restrained by flight attendants and was seated in the rear of the aircraft.
He also made an attempt to grab the handle of an emergency exit during the flight’s descent, which was thwarted by a flight attendant.
The flight was ultimately diverted to Portland International Airport in Oregon and landed safely, according to the Department of Justice.
Lawyers Claim Emerson Suffered ‘Panic Attack’
His attorneys said on Nov. 15 that their client’s actions were owing to him suffering from a panic attack during the flight, ABC News reported.“While on this flight, Captain Emerson suffered a panic attack and the illusion of being in a dream.
“His actions during that flight were a well-meaning attempt simply to wake himself up from the dream. No harm to anyone was contemplated or intended,” the firm said.
According to his attorneys, the Pleasant Hill, California, resident had taken “a small amount of psilocybin” two days before the Alaska Airlines flight took off to pay tribute to a friend who recently died.
Psilocybin, also known as magic mushrooms, is generally consumed for its hallucinogenic effects and impacts all the senses, including altering an individual’s thinking, sense of time, and emotions, according to the Alcohol and Drug Foundation.
Mr. Emerson “had never taken mushrooms” prior to the incident, his lawyers said, adding, “[o]ther than this incident, Captain Emerson does not use drugs.”
The pilot was also “suffering from a combination of stress, fatigue, and dehydration, as well as untreated anxiety and depression,” the lawyers said.
The Federal Aviation Administration said last month it is naming a pilot mental health committee to provide recommendations to address barriers preventing pilots from reporting mental health issues, while the National Transportation Safety Board is convening a forum on pilot mental health on Wednesday.
Katabella Roberts and Reuters contributed to this report.
