Off-Duty Pilot to Appear in Court for Allegedly Trying to Disable Jetliner

In Portland, Oregon, where he was charged with 83 counts of attempted murder, an off-duty pilot suspected of attempting to turn off an Alaska Airlines jet's engines during a weekend trip over the Pacific Northwest was scheduled to make his first court appearance on Tuesday.

After being diverted due to what the airline described as a "credible security threat" on a flight from Everett, Washington, to San Francisco, Joseph David Emerson, 44, was apprehended on Sunday in Portland. The twin-engine aircraft had safely landed there.

Air Traffic Controller Training To Be Halted If Government Shuts Down

(Photo : by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
BURBANK, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 25: The control tower at Hollywood Burbank Airport stands over an Alaska Airlines plane as it taxis on September 25, 2023 in Burbank, California. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is warning that vital training for new air traffic controllers would be paused if the government shuts down later this week.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Emerson was traveling as an approved "jump seat" passenger in the aircraft's cockpit while not on duty. This is a common way for commercial airline pilots to get home or to their next assignment.

According to a representative for the Portland district attorney, he was arrested on 83 charges of attempted murder, 83 counts of reckless endangering another person, and one count of endangering an aircraft, as reported by Reuters.

Formal Charges

The spokesman noted that formal charges were anticipated to be brought on Tuesday in Portland's Multnomah County court, where the suspect was scheduled to show up for an afternoon appearance and submit a plea.

According to the airline, Horizon Air, a regional affiliate of Alaska Air Group, operated Alaska Airlines Flight 2059.

The FAA informed U.S. airlines that the off-duty pilot had attempted to shut down the Embraer 175's engines by turning on the engines' fire-suppression system while the aircraft was at cruising altitude.

Emerson was identified as a qualified pilot with a medical clearance last month in an FAA pilot database. According to two American pilots who spoke to Reuters, pilots are expected to self-report any mental health concerns.

Alaska's pilots are represented by the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), the biggest pilots organization in the world.

In a statement, ALPA noted that the airline industry in North America is "one of the most highly vetted and scrutinized careers."

The episode, according to Adam Silverthorne, president of the NRI Flying Club in California, was inconsistent with the gentle, meticulous family guy that Adam Silverthorne knew Emerson to be some years ago when Emerson was a club member and gave flight training. Emerson attended NRI in 2016, according to a club newsletter.

No Ongoing Threat for Passengers

There was "no ongoing threat related to this incident," according to the FBI's Portland office, to travelers.

The incident "is not connected in any way, shape, or form to current world events," the FAA informed airlines in a second notification on Monday, adding that it is "always good practice to maintain vigilance."