Elite MemberOff-Duty Alaska Airlines pilot accused of trying to shut off a plane’s engines mid-flight
An off-duty pilot who was riding in the cockpit of an Alaska Airlines flight en route from Washington state to San Francisco on Sunday is facing dozens of attempted murder charges after he tried to shut down the plane’s engines mid-flight, authorities say.
An off-duty pilot who was riding in the cockpit of an Alaska Airlines flight en route from Washington state to San Francisco on Sunday is facing dozens of attempted murder charges after he tried to shut down the plane’s engines mid-flight, authorities say.
The suspect, identified as Alaska Airlines pilot Joseph D. Emerson, 44, attempted to cut off fuel to the engines, but the quick action of the aircraft’s captain and first officer kept the engines from failing completely, the airline said, adding Emerson was subdued by the flight crew.
The flight was forced to divert to Portland, Oregon, where the suspect was taken into custody by Port of Portland police, the agency said in a statement.
Emerson is being held without bail at the Multnomah County Jail and has been charged in Oregon with 83 felony counts of attempted murder, 83 counts of reckless endangerment and one count of endangering an aircraft, booking records show. He is expected in court Tuesday afternoon. Online records do not list an attorney for Emerson.
Authorities do not believe the incident was an act of terrorism or ideologically motivated violence, a law enforcement source familiar with the investigation told CNN’s Josh Campbell. Investigators believe it may have been the result of a mental health episode, and authorities are preparing for court officials to order an assessment of the defendant’s psychological state as part of court proceedings, the source said.
The source noted the suspect may face additional federal charges.
Here’s what we know.
Pilots will sometimes ride in a cockpit “jump seat” when traveling in their official capacity or commuting between airports.
While in the cockpit, Emerson had tried to shut down both of the Embraer 175’s engines by pulling its fire extinguisher handles, the airline said.
“The fire suppression system consists of a T-handle for each engine; when pulled, a valve in the wing closes to shut off fuel to the engine,” Alaska Airlines said in a statement to CNN. “After they are pulled, some residual fuel remains in the line.”
The airline said the quick reaction of the crew to reset both handles helped restore the flow of fuel and prevented the engines from cutting out.
“Our crew responded without hesitation to a difficult and highly unusual situation, and we are incredibly proud and grateful for their skillful actions,” the airline said in a statement.
The plane was at cruise altitude when the incident happened, Capt. Mike Karn, senior manager of flight security for American Airlines, said in a memo circulated at his airline.
The flight crew detained the suspect, and the plane was diverted to Portland International Airport, the Port of Portland said in a statement.
“I think he’s subdued,” one of the plane’s pilots can be heard saying in air traffic control audio recorded by LiveATC.net. “Other than that, we want law enforcement as soon as we get on the ground and are parked.”
When the flight landed in Portland around 6:30 p.m., the suspect was taken into custody by Port of Portland police officers, the port said.
No injuries were reported on the flight, the FBI said.
All passengers were later able to fly to San Francisco with a new crew and aircraft, the airline said, noting it is “reaching out to each of them individually to discuss their experience and check-in on their well-being.”
The flight was forced to divert to Portland, Oregon, where the suspect was taken into custody by Port of Portland police, the agency said in a statement.
Emerson is being held without bail at the Multnomah County Jail and has been charged in Oregon with 83 felony counts of attempted murder, 83 counts of reckless endangerment and one count of endangering an aircraft, booking records show. He is expected in court Tuesday afternoon. Online records do not list an attorney for Emerson.
Authorities do not believe the incident was an act of terrorism or ideologically motivated violence, a law enforcement source familiar with the investigation told CNN’s Josh Campbell. Investigators believe it may have been the result of a mental health episode, and authorities are preparing for court officials to order an assessment of the defendant’s psychological state as part of court proceedings, the source said.
The source noted the suspect may face additional federal charges.
Here’s what we know.
Suspect tried to cut the engine fuel, airline says
After taking off from Everett, Washington, on Sunday, Alaska Airlines Flight 2059 – operated by regional carrier Horizon Air – reported a “security threat related to an off-duty Alaskan Airlines pilot, identified as Captain Joseph Emerson, who was traveling in the flight deck jump seat,” the airline said in a statement.Pilots will sometimes ride in a cockpit “jump seat” when traveling in their official capacity or commuting between airports.
While in the cockpit, Emerson had tried to shut down both of the Embraer 175’s engines by pulling its fire extinguisher handles, the airline said.
“The fire suppression system consists of a T-handle for each engine; when pulled, a valve in the wing closes to shut off fuel to the engine,” Alaska Airlines said in a statement to CNN. “After they are pulled, some residual fuel remains in the line.”
The airline said the quick reaction of the crew to reset both handles helped restore the flow of fuel and prevented the engines from cutting out.
“Our crew responded without hesitation to a difficult and highly unusual situation, and we are incredibly proud and grateful for their skillful actions,” the airline said in a statement.
The plane was at cruise altitude when the incident happened, Capt. Mike Karn, senior manager of flight security for American Airlines, said in a memo circulated at his airline.
The flight crew detained the suspect, and the plane was diverted to Portland International Airport, the Port of Portland said in a statement.
“I think he’s subdued,” one of the plane’s pilots can be heard saying in air traffic control audio recorded by LiveATC.net. “Other than that, we want law enforcement as soon as we get on the ground and are parked.”
When the flight landed in Portland around 6:30 p.m., the suspect was taken into custody by Port of Portland police officers, the port said.
No injuries were reported on the flight, the FBI said.
All passengers were later able to fly to San Francisco with a new crew and aircraft, the airline said, noting it is “reaching out to each of them individually to discuss their experience and check-in on their well-being.”
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