Off-Duty Pilot Arrested After Trying to Seize Control of Alaska Airlines Flight

Joseph Emerson is facing 83 counts of attempted murder after he tried to turn off the engines of an Alaska Airlines plane mid-flight.

An off-duty pilot has been arrested after he attempted to turn off the engines of a plane in mid-flight on Sunday, causing the California-bound aircraft to be diverted to Portland, Oregon.

Joseph Emerson, 44, was taken into custody by the Port of Portland Police Department and booked early Monday morning. He is facing 83 counts of attempted murder, 83 counts of reckless endangerment, and one count of endangering an aircraft, per the department’s booking records.

Alaska Airlines Flight 2059, operated by Horizon Air, departed from Everett, Washington, at 5:23 p.m and was en route to San Francisco when Emerson, who was sitting in a jump seat in the airplane cockpit, reportedly tried to take control of the plane.

According to CNN, Emerson attempted to trigger the engine-fire-suppression system in an attempt to disrupt the engines, per a memo circulated to the airlines.

The Seattle Times reports that 80 passengers were onboard, including two infants, as well as two pilots and two flight attendants. On the website LiveATC.net, which records air-traffic-control transmissions, one of the flight’s pilots can be heard relaying the incident to Portland air-traffic control.

“I’ll just give you a heads-up. We’ve got the guy that tried to shut the engines down out of the cockpit,” he said. “It doesn’t seem like he’s causing any issue at the back. I think he’s subdued.”

In a statement, Alaska Airlines confirmed that the flight reported a “credible security threat” from an off-duty pilot with the airline and that the incident was being investigated by both the Port of Portland Police Department and the FBI.

“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 statement read.