Former Pilot Pleads Guilty After Trying to Cut Jet Engines Midflight While on Psychedelics

A former Alaska Airlines pilot who prosecutors say tried to shut off the engines of a passenger jet while riding in the cockpit has pleaded guilty in federal court.

Joseph David Emerson admitted to federal charges related to the October 22, 2023, incident in which he told the flight crew “I am not okay” and attempted to access controls aboard Flight 2059, a flight that was diverted to Portland, Oregon, after the episode, court documents show. Emerson told police he had taken psychedelic mushrooms and had been struggling with depression.

The flight was en route from Everett, Washington, to San Francisco, California, with 80 passengers aboard when the diversion occurred. One pilot told investigators he had to wrestle Emerson until he stopped resisting, and the entire episode lasted roughly 90 seconds, according to the criminal complaint. After being subdued, Emerson told flight attendants, “You need to cuff me right now or it's going to be bad,” and later tried to reach for the emergency exit handle during the aircraft’s descent, the documents say.

In Oregon state court, Emerson pleaded no contest to reckless endangerment and first-degree endangering an aircraft and was sentenced to 50 days in jail, which he has already served, five years' probation, 664 hours of community service and $60,659 in restitution, court records show. Multnomah County Deputy District Attorney Eric Pickard said the episode nearly ruined the lives of “not just the 84 people aboard Flight 2059, but all of their family members and friends as well.”

Under a federal plea agreement, prosecutors may recommend a one-year prison term, while Emerson’s attorneys are expected to argue for no additional jail time. Federal sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 17.

Emerson has told authorities he was unable to perceive reality after taking the mushrooms. In court, he acknowledged the effects of the drugs did not excuse his actions, saying, “that doesn't make this right.” He also told the court the experience had prompted changes in his personal life, stating it had made him “a better father, a better husband, a better member of my community.”

As part of his state sentence, Emerson was required to perform community service, and officials said half of those hours may be completed at Clear Skies Ahead, a nonprofit focused on pilot health that he and his wife founded after his arrest. Additional conditions include assessments for drug and alcohol use, a prohibition on using non-prescribed drugs, and a requirement to stay at least 25 feet away from operable jets unless given permission by his probation officer.

Court filings and statements by prosecutors describe Emerson as an off-duty pilot who had been riding in the cockpit at the time of the incident. Flight attendants and crew statements played a central role in the complaint, detailing Emerson’s behavior and the rapid intervention that prevented further escalation.

The case has drawn attention to issues of substance use and mental health among aviation personnel. Prosecutors framed Emerson’s conduct as reckless and criminal, while court-ordered evaluations and treatment conditions reflect judicial and probationary aims to address underlying health needs and to reduce future risks to public safety.

Emerson’s federal guilty plea resolves criminal charges at the national level while his state sentence addresses local criminal counts tied to the same incident. Federal prosecutors’ sentencing recommendation and the arguments by Emerson’s defense will be considered at the Nov. 17 federal sentencing hearing.