EVERETT, WA – A dramatic incident unfolded on an Alaska Airlines flight on Sunday when an off-duty pilot, Joseph David Emerson, allegedly tried to shut down the engines of the fully-loaded passenger plane. The 44-year-old now faces 83 counts of attempted murder, 83 counts of reckless endangerment, and one count of endangering an aircraft, as per police records.
Emerson was reportedly occupying the jump seat next to the pilot on an Embraer 175 aircraft flying from Everett, a suburb of Seattle, to San Francisco. He is accused of attempting to activate the fire suppression system, but was restrained and removed from the controls by crew members, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
The flight, which had departed from Washington state at 5:23 pm, was forced to divert to Portland International Airport due to the ‘security threat’. Alaska Airlines issued a statement that acknowleged the incident, praising the Horizon Air flight crew for their professional handling of the situation, and thanking passengers for their calm and patience.
Live Air Traffic audio recordings suggest that there was a struggle onboard, with a pilot describing Emerson as ‘subdued’ after the incident. The pilot can be heard requesting law enforcement assistance upon landing.
Emerson was subsequently arrested by Port of Portland officials. His booking sheet describes him as a 6 foot 1, 44-year-old bald white man with blue eyes, weighing 210lbs. His father, John Emerson, declined to comment when reached. The incident is currently under investigation by Alaska law enforcement.