Joseph Emerson (46), a former Alaska Airlines pilot, pleaded guilty to trying to sabotage a flight by shutting down the plane’s engines during a flight in October 2023.
Emerson was facing 83 counts of reckless endangerment, one for each person on the plane, so he reached a plea deal to resolve both his state and federal cases in Oregon. The judge sentenced him to 50 days in jail, five years of probation, and ordered him to pay a $60,000 fine and complete 600 hours of community service.
However, his legal troubles aren’t over yet. He is scheduled for a federal court hearing on November 17th, where he could face a much steeper penalty of up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
According to court documents, Emerson had taken psychedelic mushrooms 48 hours before the flight. In a public statement, the pilot described a state of confusion, believing he was trapped in a dream and needed to wake up.
“Although I was sitting in the jump seat and interacting with the flight crew, I believed I was either dreaming, and I felt an overwhelming need to wake up. In an effort to wake up from my ‘dream,’ I knowingly pulled the dual fire extinguisher handles for the aircraft engines while the aircraft was still flying.”
The flight crew was quick to react and immediately grabbed his wrists, forcing his hands away from the controls, preventing a catastrophe. After Emerson was restrained, the plane was able to land safely without any injuries.
The pilot officially apologized for the incident and said he holds himself accountable for the reckless behaviour. Still, he also wanted to share his story publicly to explain his state of mind.
