Alaska Air pilot who endangered flight pleads guilty

Alexis Weisend, The Seattle Times on Sep 5, 2025

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Almost two years after off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot Joseph Emerson tried to shut off a plane’s engine midflight, the California man has pleaded guilty to related charges in Portland, Oregon, as part of a plea agreement with federal prosecutors.

Emerson also has a plea hearing on state charges Friday afternoon, where he is expected to enter a no-contest plea as part of an agreement with state prosecutors, according to The Associated Press. He wants to take responsibility for his actions and hopes to avoid further time behind bars, his attorney Noah Horst told the AP.

During a Friday morning hearing at U.S. District Court in Portland, Emerson pleaded guilty to one count of interfering with flight crew members and attendants, a felony. Federal prosecutors plan to recommend that Emerson serve a 12 month jail term, followed by court supervision, when he is sentenced in coming months.

Emerson, now 46, was arrested Oct. 22, 2023, after the Embraer E175 regional jet landed in Portland. He was indicted in Oregon state court two months later on multiple counts of recklessly endangering another person and one count of endangering aircraft. Emerson pleaded not guilty and was released on $50,000 bail.

Federal prosecutors charged Emerson with one count of interfering with flight crew members and attendants.

Emerson’s arrest made international headlines and sparked conversations about pilot mental health.

On that October day, the pilot hitched a ride on Horizon Airlines Flight 2059 headed from Everett to San Francisco. The crew allowed him to sit in the cockpit jump seat directly behind the captain and first officer, according to an affidavit by an FBI agent.

Emerson made casual conversation with pilots before he threw his headset across the cockpit, said, “I’m not OK,” and pulled red engine shut-off handles used for fires, according to the affidavit. The pilots wrestled the handles — which would have cut fuel to each of the plane’s engines had Emerson been able to pull them down fully — away from him.

Emerson told a flight attendant to handcuff him and tried to grab the handle of an emergency exit door during an emergency descent to Portland, according to the affidavit.

Arrested after landing at Portland International Airport, Emerson told police officers he was experiencing a mental health crisis and hadn’t slept in around two days, according to the affidavit. He had taken psychedelic mushrooms for the first time two days before.

“I’m admitting to what I did. I’m not fighting any charges you want to bring against me, guys,” he told police, according to the affidavit.

Emerson later told media outlets he felt like he was in a dream and thought pulling the handles would wake him up. He was struggling with the death of his best friend, he said, and was afraid to seek treatment for mental health issues for fear of losing his job.

He and his wife have started a nonprofit called Clear Skies Ahead, which advocates for reduced barriers for pilots seeking mental health treatment. Emerson, who remains out of custody, declined an interview for this story.