Horizon Air’s captain tells air traffic controllers in Portland that an off-duty pilot tried to shut down the jet’s engines, but crews managed to free him from the cockpit. (Image credit: Aubrey Gavello/LOCAL NEWS X /TMX) (Audio credit: LIVE-ATC.NET)
Three passengers have sued Alaska Airlines over an incident last month in which an off-duty pilot attempted to shut down the plane’s engines.
Passengers aboard Horizon Air Flight 2059, a subsidiary of Alaska Airlines, say they suffered emotional distress after 44-year-old Alaska Airlines pilot Joseph David Emerson allegedly attempted to kill two people Pulling handles that would have activated a fire suppression system and cut fuel is being added to the engines, according to the Associated Press, citing charging documents filed Thursday in Washington state.
Emerson was sitting in the jump seat, an additional seat in the cockpit, when he suddenly said, “I’m not feeling well” and tried to pull on two handles, authorities said in charging documents.
The plane had flown from Everett, Washington to San Francisco on October 22, but was diverted and landed safely in Portland, Oregon. Emerson was eventually restrained by members of the cabin crew and arrested after the flight landed.
WHO IS CAPT EMERSON? ALASKA AIRLINES RELEASES DETAILS ABOUT A HOLIDAY AIRLINE PILOT WHO ALLEGEDLY TRIED TO SHUT DOWN THE FLIGHT
An off-duty pilot allegedly attempted to shut down the jet’s engines during an Alaska Airlines flight. (Aubrey Gavello/LOCAL NEWS X /TMX / Fox News)
The Alaska Airlines flight was operated by the group’s regional subsidiary, Horizon Air. Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air are owned by Alaska Air Group.
In the class action lawsuit filed Thursday in King County Superior Court, the three passengers claimed that the Emerson should never have been allowed into the cockpit because he suffered from depression and lack of sleep.
They claimed the plane experienced “what felt like a nosedive,” although some passengers quoted in news reports described nothing of the sort.
An Alaska Airlines flight bound for San Francisco was diverted to Portland after an off-duty pilot allegedly attempted to shut down the jet’s engines mid-flight. (Aubrey Gavello/LOCAL NEWS X /TMX / Fox News)
Plaintiffs Matthew Doland, Theresa Stelter and Paul Stephen say they suffered anxiety, insomnia, fear of flying and other emotional effects as a result of the incident.
According to Portal, the lawsuit seeks special and general damages in an amount to be proven at trial, including ticket fees, damages for psychological injury, physical pain and suffering.
The lawsuit also seeks an injunction requiring Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air to conduct screenings of all prospective flight crew and jump seat passengers, including their mental health status.
FAA investigates after Alaska Airlines flight enters Skywest plane’s path
Emerson has already pleaded not guilty to federal charges in a case in Multnomah County, Oregon, including 83 counts of attempted murder, 83 counts of reckless endangerment and one count of endangering an aircraft.
An Alaska Airlines aircraft takes off from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) in San Francisco, California, USA on June 21, 2023. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images / Getty Images)
In an October court document, Emerson said he took “magic mushrooms” two days before the alleged incident, didn’t sleep for 40 hours and suffered from depression.
He told investigators after the mid-air scare that he thought he was dreaming and wanted to wake up, an Oregon prosecutor said in an affidavit.
Daniel Laurence, an aviation attorney at The Stritmatter Firm who is representing the plaintiffs, said in a statement that his clients want the airlines involved to provide a clear public explanation as to why they did not conduct rigorous pre-flight security checks.
Such a pre-flight safety check could help identify pilots who are capable of sabotaging an aircraft.
“The airlines need a wake-up call,” Laurence said. “We understand that most pilots are heroes every day when it comes to safely operating our aircraft, but they are not immune to insomnia, alcohol, drugs or a mental health crisis.”
GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO by CLICKING HERE
“Emerson’s statements during the flight and shortly after his arrest show that if the airlines here had done this, he would never have been allowed on board. Our customers suffered unnecessarily as a result. Only luck prevented it from becoming a mass disaster.”
Alaska Airlines did not immediately respond to a request for comment when contacted by Fox News Digital.
The airline released a statement on October 24, two days after the incident, saying that at no time during the check-in or boarding process did its gate agents or flight crew notice any signs of impairment, which they caused Emerson to be prevented from flying on Flight 2059.
The airline said all passengers could complete their journey to California on another flight with new crew.