Off-Duty Pilot's Mid-Flight Engine Shutdown Attempt
A former Alaska Airlines pilot who attempted to cut the engines of a passenger flight while riding off-duty in the cockpit will serve no additional prison time, a federal judge ruled on Monday, 17th November 2025.
Joseph Emerson was sentenced to time already served and three years of supervised release by U.S. District Court Judge Amy Baggio at a hearing in Portland, Oregon. Federal prosecutors had requested a one-year prison sentence, while his defence team had argued for probation.
"Pilots are not perfect. They are human," Judge Baggio stated. "They are people and all people need help sometimes."
The Incident and Its Aftermath
The event unfolded on 22nd October 2023, aboard a Horizon Air flight from Everett, Washington, to San Francisco. Emerson, who was occupying an extra seat in the cockpit, attempted to activate the plane's fire suppression system, which would have cut fuel to its engines.
The quick-thinking flight crew subdued him, and the aircraft was safely diverted to Portland, landing without injury to any of the more than 80 people on board.
Following his arrest, Emerson informed police that he was grieving the death of a friend, had consumed psychedelic mushrooms approximately 48 hours prior, and had not slept for over 40 hours. He claimed he believed he was in a dream and was trying to wake himself up by pulling the two red handles.
Before the sentence was announced, Emerson addressed the court, expressing remorse. "I'm not a victim. I am here as a direct result of my actions," he said. "I can tell you that this very tragic event has forced me to grow as an individual."
A Cautionary Tale and Family Impact
Multiple individuals spoke in support of Emerson during the hearing. His wife, Sarah Stretch, gave an emotional account of the incident's impact on their family.
"I am so sorry for those that it's impacted as much as it has," she said through tears. "But I am extremely proud to be here with this man today, because the growth that he has had from this terrible experience has not only helped him but benefited all that surround him."
Judge Baggio, in releasing him, remarked that his story "offers a cautionary tale worth telling beyond the confines of this case."
Emerson had previously pleaded guilty or no-contest to all charges in September as part of agreements with state and federal prosecutors. The federal charge was interfering with a flight crew, while the state of Oregon indicted him on 83 counts of endangering another person and one count of endangering an aircraft.
In a state court ruling, he was sentenced to 50 days in jail with credit for time served, plus five years of probation, 664 hours of community service (eight hours for each person endangered), and over $60,000 in restitution, nearly all of it to Alaska Air Group.
Half of his community service can be completed at the pilot health nonprofit he founded after his arrest. He must also undergo assessments for drug, alcohol, and mental health treatment and keep a distance of at least 25 feet from operable aircraft unless granted permission by his probation officer.
Federal prosecutors had emphasised in a memo that "it was only through the heroic actions of the flight crew" that a disaster was averted. The case has since intensified scrutiny on cockpit safety protocols and the mental fitness of aviation personnel.
