An off-duty pilot accused of trying to shut down the engines of a crowded Alaska Airlines passenger plane on Sunday has been charged with 83 counts of attempted murder.
Joseph David Emerson, 44, faces a slew of murder charges as well as an additional 83 counts of reckless endangerment and endangering an aircraft, according to police documents.
It is believed that Emerson was sitting in the jump seat next to the pilot aboard a flight from Everett in suburban Seattle to San Francisco when he allegedly triggered the fire suppression system.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, crew members managed to “subdue” him and remove him from the controls.
Alaska Airlines said the flight, which left Washington state at 5:23 p.m., was diverted to Portland International Airport due to the “safety threat.”
Pilots aboard an Alaska Airlines regional jet diverted their flight to Portland after someone supposedly authorized to ride in the cockpit attempted to shut off the engines. (Pictured: an Alaska Airlines plane at the same airport in 2020)
“On October 22, Horizon Air-operated Alaska Airlines Flight 2059 from Everett, WA (PAE) to San Francisco, CA (SFO) reported a credible security threat associated with an authorized occupant in the jump seat on the flight deck,” Alaska said Airlines.
“The crew secured the aircraft without incident.”
“We are grateful for the Horizon flight crew’s professional handling of the situation and appreciate our guests’ calm and patience during this event.”
Live audio from air traffic appears to show a pilot describing the person believed to have “overwhelmed” Emerson after the incident, suggesting a struggle occurred.
“We got the guy who tried to shut off the engines out of the cockpit and he doesn’t sound like he’s causing any problems in the back at the moment. I think he’s under control,” a pilot said, according to air traffic controllers’ audio recorded by Live ATC.
“We want law enforcement once we’re on the ground and parked.”
Emerson was arrested by Port of Portland officers and is described in his booking record as a 6-foot-1, 44-year-old, bald white male with blue eyes and weighing 210 pounds.
Alaska Police are investigating. This is an unfolding news story.