Pilot on Psychedelics Who Tried to Disable Engines Avoids Prison
Newly released flight deck audio and police video are offering the clearest account yet of the October 2023 incident in which off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot Joseph Emerson attempted to disable the engines of a Horizon Air flight mid-air. Emerson, who was riding in the cockpit jumpseat, told investigators he believed he was in a dream-like state after ingesting psychedelic mushrooms two days earlier. The flight, carrying 83 passengers and crew, was diverted safely to Portland, Oregon.
Prosecutors in Multnomah County released airport security video showing officers escorting Emerson off the plane in handcuffs moments after landing. Flight deck recordings captured the tense seconds when the crew realized something was wrong. In the audio, Emerson can be heard saying, “I’m not OK,” followed by a brief struggle before the pilot tells air traffic control, “We’ve got a jump seater just tried to shut our engines off. We need to go direct to Portland, now.”
Crew members were able to remove Emerson from the cockpit before the situation escalated further.
Emerson Explains His Mental State
Emerson later told CBS News he had no intention of crashing the aircraft. “No, no. I had no intention of crashing the actual airplane. I wanted to wake up,” he said in an interview. He described being convinced he was not going home to his wife and children and believed pulling the emergency fire handles would “wake me up.”
“It’s the most consequential three seconds of my life,” he told the outlet.
The handles Emerson attempted to pull are meant to cut off fuel to the engines in the event of a fire. According to his attorneys, Emerson had experienced severe emotional strain in the months leading up to the flight, including the death of his best friend. He told CBS News he had been drinking heavily and tried psilocybin mushrooms for the first time two days before the flight. His defense team said he suffered from hallucinogen persisting perception disorder, which caused lingering effects.
Footage from the back of a police cruiser shows a subdued Emerson asking an officer, “Do you believe in forgiveness?” and telling him, “I want to be accountable. But am I gonna be forgiven for being so stupid?”
Court Sentences Emerson to Time Served
On Nov. 17, 2024, U.S. District Court Judge Amy Baggio sentenced Emerson to time served and three years of supervised release after he pleaded guilty to a federal charge of interfering with a flight crew. He separately pleaded no contest to state charges of endangering an aircraft and 83 counts of endangering another person, resulting in five years of probation.
“Pilots are not perfect. They are human. They are people and all people need help sometimes,” Judge Baggio said, according to the Associated Press.
Emerson addressed the court directly. “I’m not a victim. I am here as a direct result of my actions,” he said. “I can tell you that this very tragic event has forced me to grow as an individual.”
His attorneys emphasized that although he avoided a potential 20-year federal sentence, the consequences would be lifelong. ABC News reported that they wrote, “Mr. Emerson has lost his livelihood. He has lost his standing in the community, the career he loved, and he will be forever marked by this federal conviction.”
The Federal Aviation Administration revoked his pilot and medical certificates, and Alaska Airlines terminated his employment. Emerson was also previously fined up to $250,000 as part of a plea agreement and agreed to pay full restitution to victims.
Family Response and Industry Impact
Emerson’s wife, Sarah Stretch, spoke in court, saying, “I am so sorry for those that it’s impacted as much as it has. But I am extremely proud to be here with this man today, because the growth that he has had from this terrible experience has not only helped him, but benefited all that surround him.”
The dramatic incident and its aftermath led to broader discussions about pilot mental health. It also inspired the FX and Hulu documentary Lie to Fly, released in August 2024, which examines the aviation industry’s protocols and calls for reforms.
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