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Off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot charged with trying to disable plane engine According to state court records obtained by CNN, he told investigators on the plane that he believed he was dreaming and that he had ingested “magic mushrooms” in the 48 hours before the incident.
Authorities said Joseph D. Emerson, 44, was on a flight from Washington state to San Francisco on Sunday when he tried to reduce the amount of fuel in the plane’s engine. The airline said the quick actions of the captain and co-pilot prevented the engine from completely failing.
According to an affidavit filed by state prosecutors, Emerson told investigators that he had ingested “magic mushrooms” approximately 48 hours prior to the incident on the plane. He also said he had been awake for the past 40 hours, according to another federal court document.
According to state court documents, Emerson told police he believed he was dreaming and that he would “wake up” when he pulled the handle on the fire extinguishing system that provided fuel to the plane’s engines. He is said to have said that.
Documents say Emerson was in the cockpit in the jump seat allowed for off-duty pilots and reached for the fire control system when the crash began.
When Emerson reached for the controls, one of the pilots “grabbed Emerson’s wrist, and (the other pilot) reported that they struggled with Emerson for several seconds until Emerson stopped and told him it was OK,” the document said. “Emerson was not safe,” it added. I was able to pull the handle all the way to the bottom before the pilot intervened. ”
Documents say Emerson has experienced depression and recently lost a friend. A separate federal criminal complaint said the man told flight attendants he was having a nervous breakdown and needed to be subdued.
It is sometimes called psilocybin, but that is highly unlikely. “Magic Mushroom” – Matt Johnson, a professor at Johns Hopkins University who studies psychedelics and other drugs, felt the drug’s lasting effects, even though it would still be in the pilot’s system 48 hours after use. He said it was possible. Johnson likened mushroom use to drinking alcohol. Although you won’t feel drunk the day after drinking, an alcohol hangover can impair your behavior and functioning.
The long-term effects of psilocybin, pre-existing depression and lack of sleep may have created a “perfect storm” in which Emerson experienced behavioral changes and a loss of sense of reality, Johnson said. Ta.
Derealization is the feeling of being disconnected from your surroundings. People often describe the experience as feeling like being in a movie or a dream. Johnson said “psychotic-like behavior” is one of the risks of taking psilocybin, especially for people who already have a mental illness.
The Oregon U.S. Attorney’s Office announced Tuesday that Emerson was charged in federal court with interfering with flight crew. The charges come on the heels of dozens of state charges filed in Oregon, including felonies including 83 counts of attempted murder, 83 counts of reckless endangerment and one count of aircraft endangerment, according to booking records. I was disappointed. He pleaded not guilty to all state charges Tuesday.
Joseph Emerson/Facebook
Off-duty pilot Joseph D. Emerson was accused of trying to shut off the plane’s engine mid-flight.
After the crash in the cockpit, Emerson was taken to the rear of the plane, where he then tried to grab the emergency exit handle during descent, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
The department said in a statement that the plane was diverted to Portland, Oregon, and Emerson was taken into custody by Portland Harbor Police.
While in custody, Emerson told officers that he had become depressed about six months ago, according to an affidavit prepared by FBI agents and included in the federal complaint. Emerson denied taking drugs, but he did discuss psychedelic mushrooms with the responding officer, according to the affidavit.
“The officer and Emerson discussed the use of psychedelic mushrooms, and Emerson stated that this was his first time ingesting mushrooms,” the affidavit states.
Asked specifically whether Emerson told officers he was under the influence of mushrooms at the time of the incident, a spokesperson for the Oregon U.S. Attorney’s Office said that was part of an ongoing investigation. told CNN. According to his affidavit, Emerson stated that while in his custody he “admitted his actions.” “My friends, I am not fighting any of the charges that you are trying to bring against me,” he said.
Mr. Emerson was being held without bail in the Multnomah County Jail and appeared in court Tuesday wearing a blue jail uniform with his hands tied behind his back. Multnomah County Circuit Court Judge Jenna Plank said his release was not addressed at Tuesday’s hearing, noting that his case requires a “stronger release hearing” within five days. Online records do not list an attorney for Emerson, and CNN is working to confirm whether he has legal representation in both state and federal court.
Authorities do not believe the incident was an act of terrorism or ideologically motivated violence, a law enforcement source familiar with the investigation told CNN. Investigators believe the death may have been the result of a mental health issue, and authorities are preparing to order court officials to evaluate the defendant’s psychological state as part of the court process, officials said. .
After taking off from Everett, Wash., Alaska Airlines Flight 2059, operated by regional carrier Horizon Airlines, was flagged for a “safety threat related to an off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot, identified as Emerson, who was aboard the flight deck jump seat.” ” was reported.The airline said: statement.
The airline said Emmerson tried to shut off both engines of the Embraer 175 by pulling the handle on a fire extinguisher inside the cockpit.
“The fire suppression system consists of a T-handle on each engine that, when pulled, closes a valve on the wing, cutting off fuel to the engine,” Alaska Airlines said in a statement to CNN. “After they are pulled out, there will be some residual fuel left in the lines.”
The airline said the crew reacted quickly and reset both handles, restoring fuel flow and avoiding an engine shutdown.
Emerson initially chatted with the pilots about the weather and the aircraft, according to the affidavit. He then said, “I’m not okay,” and one of the pilots turned around and saw him reach out and grab the red fire handle, his affidavit said.
One of the pilots grabbed Emerson’s wrist, and the other declared an on-board emergency, according to the affidavit. One pilot said Mr Emerson “resisted at first” and the two “struggled” for about 30 minutes until Mr Emerson agreed to leave the cockpit.
In air traffic control audio recorded by LiveATC.net, one of the plane’s pilots can be heard saying, “I think he’s being subdued.” “Other than that, we want you to call the police as soon as you get off the ground and park.”
After “peacefully walking to the back of the plane,” Emerson told the flight attendant, “If you don’t handcuff me right now, you’re going to be in trouble,” the affidavit said.
The flight attendant placed handcuffs on his wrists, but during the descent Emerson “turned toward the exit door and attempted to grab the handle,” but was stopped by a flight attendant, the affidavit said.
“Another flight attendant witnessed Emerson say things like, ‘I ruined everything’ and ‘I tried to kill everyone,'” the affidavit said. “Emerson was heard saying tonight that he risked the lives of 84 people, including himself.”
Emerson was taken into custody by Port of Portland police officers when the plane landed at Portland International Airport around 6:30 p.m., the airport said.
No injuries were reported during the flight, according to the FBI.
All passengers were then able to fly to San Francisco with new crew and equipment, the airline said, adding it was “contacting each passenger individually to discuss their experience and check on their health.”
Two passengers on the plane told CNN that the airline’s crew maintained a calm environment on the plane while the incident unfolded.
One passenger, Aubrey Gavello, said she didn’t realize anything was wrong until the flight attendant announced over the loudspeaker that the plane needed to land immediately.
“We didn’t know where we were landing, we didn’t know what was wrong. But[the flight attendants]assured us we were safe. ,” Gavello said Monday night on CNN’s “Laura Coates Live.”
Alex Wood, who was sitting in the front of the plane, said the pilot then told passengers over a loudspeaker that there was “disturbance in the cockpit.” He said Wood had been sleeping with headphones on during the entire incident.
“I was right in the cockpit and nothing woke me up. It wasn’t loud enough to wake me up, it wasn’t loud enough to wake me up,” Wood said. Ta.
Emerson’s neighbor Ed Yee told CNN he was “very shocked” to hear about the suspect’s alleged actions. “He seems like a really nice guy. There’s nothing wrong with him,” Yi said.
Records show Emerson underwent his most recent FAA medical exam last month. He has obtained a first-class medical certificate, the highest level of medical certificate awarded by the agency, which requires pilots over the age of 40 to undergo semi-annual examinations.
According to information shared by Alaska Airlines, Mr. Emerson has worked in the airline industry for at least 20 years.
“Throughout his career, Mr. Emerson has obtained FAA-mandated medical certifications in accordance with regulatory requirements and has never had his certifications denied, suspended or revoked,” Alaska Airlines said in a statement. Stated.
