Former โAlaska Airlines Pilot Pleads Guilty in In-Flightโฃ Incident
PORTLAND, OR – Former Alaska Airlines pilot Joseph Emerson, 46, โpleaded guilty Friday toโ 83โฃ counts of โrecklessly endangering persons and one count of โขrecklessly endangering an airplane stemming from an October 2023 incident aboard aโ Horizon Air flight. Emerson admitted to pulling the fire handles,โค shutting off fuel to theโ engines mid-flight.
The incidentโ occurred โon October 22,โข 2023, while Emerson was traveling as a โฃpassengerโ on โคHorizon Air flight 2059 from Everett, Washington, to โSan Francisco. After the โaircraftโฃ flew over Oregon,Emerson activated the engine fire handles. He subsequently attempted to open aโ cabin door and engaged in disruptive behavior in the cabin, including drinking directly โคfromโ aโข coffeeโฃ pot. A flight attendant intervened,โฃ and the captain andโฃ co-pilot were able to subdue Emerson before making an emergencyโ landing โin Portland, Oregon. Emerson later stated he was experiencing a mental health โคcrisis, โandโค had used psychedelic mushroomsโ 48 โhours โprior.
As part of a plea deal with Oregon prosecutors, Emerson entered aโ “no contest” plea to all charges. โฃOn Friday,aโ judge sentenced him to five years of conditional punishment,664 hours of community service -โฃ eight hours for each of theโ 83 โขpassengers on board – and โฃordered himโค to pay approximately $60,000 in restitution to โAlaska Airlines and several hundred dollars to two passengers.
Emerson was detained for 46 days followingโ his arrest. He has since become an advocate for mental healthโข awareness within the โaviation industry,stating he long feared seeking help dueโ toโ concerns about losing his pilot certificate,a fear compounded by the death of a close friend. โฃ”I lost,from the โขoutside,everything I had ever workedโค for,” Emerson said during the โคcourt โhearing. “But it’sโ the biggest gift I ever received.”