An off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot, Joseph David Emerson, 44, is accused of trying to crash a plane with 84 people on board. This incident has captured the attention of the public, and photographs of him have emerged for the first time.
According to passengers, Emerson allegedly had a 'mental breakdown' and attempted to disable the plane's engines mid-air while sitting in the jump seat during the flight on Sunday evening.
He now faces a total of 83 counts of attempted murder, each corresponding to a person on board the Embraer 175 plane, which took off from Everett in suburban Seattle at 5:23 pm on Sunday.
In addition to the attempted murder charges, police documents reveal that he is also facing 83 counts of reckless endangerment and one count of endangering an aircraft.
It's crucial to note that Emerson was not the pilot in command of the plane but was seated in the jump seat,
According to the report, Emerson was not flying the plane but was sitting in the jump seat, which is typically reserved for other pilots and crew members, located beside the main cockpit controls.
Flight 2059, which was operated by Horizon Air, a regional carrier owned by Alaska Airlines, took off from Everett, Washington, just before 5:30 p.m. on Sunday.
Originally destined for San Francisco, the flight had to be redirected to Portland International Airport due to an altercation in the cockpit. It was reported that the crew members managed to 'subdue' Joseph David Emerson, who was in the jump seat during the incident.
An Alaska Airlines spokesperson informed the Post that "The jump-seat occupant unsuccessfully attempted to disrupt the operation of the engines. The crew secured the aircraft without incident.”
The flight made an emergency diversion to Portland International Airport, where Emerson was apprehended by the Port of Portland Police. Fortunately, no injuries were reported during the incident.
Emerson now faces multiple charges, including 83 counts of attempted murder in the first degree, 83 counts of recklessly endangering another person, and one count of endangering an aircraft in the first degree, as confirmed by the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office to The Post.
Watching the video below:
