Off-duty pilot accused of attempting to turn off engines on an Alaska Airlines flight has been charged with 83 counts of attempted murder

Off-duty pilot accused of attempting to turn off engines on an Alaska Airlines flight has been charged with 83 counts of attempted murder
Joseph Emerson/ Facebook

On an Alaska Airlines aircraft, a pilot who was not on duty allegedly attempted to turn off the engines by pulling the handles of the fire extinguishers. He has been charged with 83 counts of attempted murder.

Before making a late-night Sunday detour to Portland due to a “credible security threat linked to an authorized occupant in the flight deck’s jump seat,” the aircraft was planned to travel from Everett, Washington, to San Francisco.

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According to a federal official briefed on the investigation, the suspect allegedly attempted to pull the handles of the fire extinguishers mounted on the engines. According to the federal official speaking to ABC News, the man was shackled to a seat after being disarmed and overpowered by flight attendants.

The Port of Portland reported that the suspect, Joseph David Emerson, had been arrested. The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office has listed 83 counts of attempted murder against Emerson. He is also charged with one felony crime, one misdemeanor, and 83 counts of recklessly endangering an aircraft.

The official claimed that the suspect was on his way to San Francisco, where he was supposed to be part of a 737 flight crew.

In the cockpit’s flight deck jump seat, Alaska Airlines claimed the off-duty pilot was seated when he “unsuccessfully attempted to interfere with the operation of the engines.”

According to Alaska, the crew “quickly responded,” adding that no engine power was lost, and the crew successfully secured the aircraft.

According to Alaska, there were four crew members and 80 passengers on the flight.

We were unaware of anything until the flight attendant announced over the loudspeaker that the aircraft needed to land right away, according to passenger Aubrey Gavello, who spoke to ABC News. She returned around 15 minutes later and announced that there was a medical emergency.

According to traveler Alex Wood, the pilot stated that “there was an issue in the cockpit.”

Gavello reported hearing a flight attendant reassuring the suspect “We’re about to be fine, it’s OK, and we’re going to get you off the plane.”

“So I really believed it was a serious health emergency,” she stated.

Wood continued, “It was very professional, managed very calmly, and we were unaware of what was going on till we landed.”

Wood claimed that once the jet touched down, cops rushed to the back of the aircraft and led a handcuffed man outside. The suspect, he said, “was sporting a sweater and lanyard. looked like a worker at an airline.

After we finally arrived and the man was led away, the flight attendant returned to the speaker and simply stated, “He had a mental breakdown,” according to Gavello. He has to get off the plane right away,'”

In a letter to carriers, the Federal Aviation Administration stated that the incident was “not connected in any way, shape, or form to current world events.”

According to the airline, police enforcement is looking into the incident. The FBI acknowledged that it is investigating the incident and “can reassure the traveling public that there is no ongoing threat connected to this incident.”

“I am thankful for the professional flight crew & air traffic controllers who stood up to guide this plane safely to Portland,” Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said in a statement. The FAA will be focused on any future safety issues that arise from investigations and will help law enforcement in their response.

In a statement, the pilots’ organization, Air Line Pilots Association, International, commended the pilots and crew for successfully landing the jet and stated that it is fully assisting law enforcement.

The airline pilot profession in North America is among the most carefully screened and examined, and for good reason, the union continued. The United States has led the way in developing proactive strategies for enhancing aviation safety and preserving a safe work environment for pilots for many years. Additionally, American pilots undergo ongoing evaluations over the course of their employment through training, medical examinations, crew resource management, and initiatives like the Line Operations Safety Audit, as well as from the airline and the Federal Aviation Administration during arbitrary flight inspections.

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