Incident Involving Former Alaska Airlines Pilot

A former pilot for Alaska Airlines attempted to shut down an engine while under the influence of psychedelic mushrooms on a packed flight in late 2023, leading to a nerve-wracking situation that was recorded in cockpit audio. Joseph Emerson was off-duty and seated in an additional cockpit seat on Horizon flight 2059 from Everett, Washington, to San Francisco on October 22, 2023.

The plane was occupied by 84 passengers when audio from KGW Portland revealed Emerson reaching for the engine controls. He repeatedly stated, “It’s not okay.”

Amid confusion, a flight attendant asked him what was wrong, questioning if he wanted to go home. Suddenly, sounds resembling a struggle emerged from the cockpit, prompting one pilot to notify air traffic control about the emergency situation.

“We need to make an emergency landing,” the pilot communicated, explaining that Emerson had attempted to cut the engine and requested to fly straight to Portland.

Afterward, the pilot provided an update, mentioning, “A guy tried to shut off the engine from the cockpit, but it doesn’t seem like there’s a problem in the back. I think he’s subdued. We want law enforcement to meet us once we land.”

As the plane descended into Portland, air traffic controllers inquired about the threat level. The pilot assessed that the danger was now contained in the rear of the aircraft and anticipated checking with flight attendants to confirm everything was “going well.”

“It escalated to four levels,” he noted, reporting that Emerson was no longer in the cockpit.

After landing safely, Emerson disclosed to authorities that he had consumed psychedelic mushrooms two days prior and hadn’t slept for over 40 hours. Mistakenly believing he was dreaming, he pulled two red handles meant to engage the fire suppression system and cut off fuel supply.

Emerson faced federal charges for interfering with the flight crew and, in Oregon, 83 counts of endangering individuals, plus one count of endangering an aircraft. He pled guilty to these charges in September as part of a plea agreement with state and federal prosecutors, who initially sought a one-year prison term.

The judge, recognizing the humanity in pilots, remarked, “They are humans too, and everyone needs help sometimes.” Before the sentencing, Emerson expressed remorse, stating, “I am not a victim. I am here as a direct result of my actions,” and emphasized personal growth stemming from the incident.

Ultimately, he received a 50-day jail sentence, with credit for time served, suspended for five years. Additionally, he was sentenced to five years of probation and required to perform 664 hours of community service, alongside more than $60,000 in restitution, primarily to Alaska Air Group.