An alarming incident unfolded on a Horizon Airlines regional jet as the flight was diverted to Portland, Oregon, on Sunday. An off-duty pilot from Alaska Airlines who was riding in the cockpit’s jumpseat made an attempt to shut down the jet’s engines mid-flight to San Francisco.
The suspect, 44-year-old Alaska Airlines pilot Joseph D. Emerson, has been charged with a shocking 83 counts of attempted murder and endangering an aircraft, both of which are considered felonies, as confirmed by the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office. In addition, Emerson faces an additional 83 counts of reckless endangerment, classified as a misdemeanor. It’s important to note that Emerson was off-duty when this incident occurred.
The Horizon Air flight, designated as 2059, was en route from Everett, a suburb of Seattle, on Sunday night, with an “authorized occupant” seated in the flight deck alongside the regular crew, according to Alaska Air’s statement released on Monday.
Alaska Air Group, the parent company based in Seattle that oversees both Horizon and Alaska Airlines, reported that “the crew secured the aircraft without incident.” Law enforcement officials met the Embraer E-175 flight upon its arrival in Portland, and the FBI has taken over the investigation.
In audio recordings captured by Live ATC, a pilot can be heard informing air traffic controllers: “We’ve got the guy that tried to shut the engines down out of the cockpit, and he doesn’t sound like he’s causing any issue in the back right now. I think he’s subdued. We want law enforcement as soon as we get on the ground and parked.”
It’s common practice for pilots, dispatchers, and other authorized aviation personnel to ride in the flight deck jumpseat as non-revenue passengers with the captain’s approval on a flight. Alaska Airlines later revealed that the suspect “unsuccessfully attempted to disrupt the operation of the engines” but was swiftly responded to by the captain and first officer. The engine power was not lost, and the crew managed to secure the aircraft without further incident.
