Off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot charged with attempting to stop airplane engine midflight
Sunday’s Alaska Airlines Flight 2059 landed safely in Portland, Oregon, after an off-duty airline pilot traveling on the plane allegedly attempted to stop the plane’s engines midflight.
The plane was operated by a subsidiary company of Alaska Airlines called Horizon Air. On its way to San Fransisco, the flight was diverted to Portland after taking off from Everett, Washington, at about 5:30 p.m., reported The Associated Press. It landed about an hour after takeoff.
The airline said in a statement that the flight “reported a credible security threat” where the “jump seat occupant unsuccessfully attempted to disrupt the operation of the engines.”
“The Horizon Captain and First Officer quickly responded, engine power was not lost and the crew secured the aircraft without incident,” the airline wrote in its press release.
It’s not uncommon for airline workers to travel using what is called the “jump seat,” or a seat on the flight deck where the off-duty pilot who attempted to ground the plane was traveling, per AP. The off-duty pilot was authorized to be there.
Officers have not released any reasons as to why the man attempted to stop the engines.
As the plane approached Portland, a pilot inside the plane told air traffic controllers that the man had been “subdued,” and requested law enforcement as soon as the plane landed, reported CNBC.
Once on the ground, the off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot who allegedly attempted to incapacitate the plane was identified by police as 44-year-old Joseph David Emerson and was taken into custody by Portland police, per The Associated Press.
Emerson has been charged with 83 counts of attempted murder, 83 counts of reckless endangerment and one count of endangering an aircraft, reported CNBC.
The FBI office in Portland told AP that the agency was undergoing an investigation and “can assure the traveling public there is no continuing threat.”
The airline said all passengers were safe and rebooked on alternative flights following the incident.
“We are grateful for the professional handling of the situation by the Horizon flight crew and appreciate our guests’ calm and patience throughout this event,” concluded the airline’s statement.
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