An off-duty pilot — who was traveling on a North American Alaska Airlines flight to San Francisco last Sunday (22) — faces dozens of attempted murder charges after trying to turn off the aircraft’s engines in mid-flight.
The suspect, identified as Joseph D. Emerson – who also works for Alaska Airlines – attempted to stop the flow of fuel to the aircraft’s engines, but quick action by the aircraft’s captain and first officer prevented the engines from stopping completely. the airline said in a statement, adding that Joseph was restrained by the flight crew.
In this scenario, the aircraft was forced to divert to the North American city of Portland, Oregon, where the suspect was taken into custody by police. Emerson was subsequently charged with 83 criminal charges, including attempted murder and reckless act.
Authorities do not believe the incident was an act of terrorism or ideologically motivated violence, said Josh Campbell, a law enforcement source familiar with the investigation. Campbell noted that the suspect could face additional federal charges.
What happened according to the airline?
After taking off from the US city of Everett, Washington, on Sunday, Alaska Airlines Flight 2059 – operated by regional airline Horizon Air – reported a “safety threat related to an off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot, identified as Captain Joseph Emerson, who was on the flight.”
While in the cabin, Emerson attempted to shut down both engines of the Embraer 175 by pulling the fire extinguisher levers, the airline said.
“The fire suppression system consists of a T-shaped handle for each engine, and when pulled, a valve in the wing closes to shut off fuel flow to the engine,” Alaska Airlines said in a statement. “After they are pulled, some residual fuel remains in the line.”
The airline said the crew’s quick reaction in readjusting both levers helped restore fuel flow and prevent engine shutdown.
“Our crew responded without hesitation to a difficult and highly unusual situation, and we are extremely proud and grateful for their skillful actions,” the airline said in the same statement.
The plane was at cruising altitude — typically when a plane reaches between 30,000 feet and 40,000 feet in the air — when the incident occurred, said Capt. Mike Karn, flight safety manager for American Airlines. The crew then detained the suspect and the plane was diverted to Portland International Airport.
“I think he was restrained,” one of the plane’s pilots said in air traffic control audio recorded by LiveATC.net. “Other than that, we want law enforcement as soon as we land.”
Once the flight arrived in Portland at approximately 6:30 p.m., the suspect was taken into custody by Port of Portland police officers. No injuries were reported on the flight, the FBI said.
All passengers were subsequently able to fly to San Francisco with a new crew and aircraft, the airline said, noting that it is “contacting each of them individually to discuss their experience and check on their well-being.”
FBI investigation
Emerson is being held at the Multnomah County Detention Center while the FBI and Portland police investigate the incident, authorities said.
The FBI’s Portland field office confirmed its investigation in a statement Monday and assured travelers that “there is no ongoing threat related to this incident.”
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said it is supporting local authorities in the investigation. The FAA also confirmed that other airlines are aware of preliminary details of the incident and that the incident is not related to “current world events,” apparently referring to the war in the Middle East between Israel and Hamas.
Passenger reports
Two passengers on the flight told CNN that the airline crew maintained a calm environment on the plane during the incident.
Aubrey Gavello, one of the passengers, said he didn’t realize anything was wrong until a flight attendant announced over the loudspeaker that the plane needed to land immediately.
“We didn’t know where we were landing and we didn’t know what was wrong. But the flight attendant assured us that we were safe,” Gavello told CNN .
Later, the pilot informed passengers over the loudspeaker that there had been a “disturbance in the cockpit,” said Alex Wood, who was sitting at the front of the plane. Wood said he was wearing headphones and slept through the incident.
“I was close to the cabin, but nothing woke me up. The noise wasn’t loud enough to wake me up,” Wood said.
About five police officers boarded the plane after landing and escorted the suspect off the aircraft, Gavello recalled. She noted that he was calm and cooperative and had his hands restrained by zip ties.
After Emerson was removed from the plane, a flight attendant announced over the loudspeaker that “he had a mental breakdown,” Gavello reported.
“Everything was handled very well,” Wood said.
The pair said they didn’t realize the severity of the situation on Monday when they woke up to headlines about the suspect trying to shut down the plane’s engines.
“I’m honestly grateful we didn’t know anything when they put us on a second plane,” Gavello said. “I don’t know if I would feel comfortable doing that if we were aware of what happened.”
‘It was very shocking’, says the suspect’s neighbor
Emerson’s neighbor, Ed Yee, told CNN that it was “very shocking” to learn of the suspect’s alleged actions.
Emerson has worked in aviation for at least two decades, according to information shared by Alaska Airlines. He joined the company in 2001 as Horizon’s first officer. In 2012, Emerson left Horizon and joined Virgin America as a pilot.
After Alaska Airlines acquired Virgin America in 2016, Emerson became Alaska’s first officer and worked more than three years to become a pilot for the airline, according to the airline’s statement.
“Throughout his career, Emerson has completed his required FAA medical certifications in accordance with regulatory requirements, and at no time have his certifications been denied, suspended or revoked,” Alaska Airlines said.
FAA records show that Emerson held an airline pilot certification with qualifications to fly the Airbus A320, Boeing 737, Canadair Regional Jet and De Havilland Dash 8. He did not hold certification to fly the ERJ 175, these records indicate the type of plane in use during Sunday’s incident.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
