An off-duty pilot allegedly had a “mental breakdown” and tried to crash a San Francisco-bound Alaska Airlines flight by shutting off the engines, officials said.
Joseph David Emerson, 44, tried to activate the jet’s fire suppression system midflight while he was sitting in the cockpit — a near-catastrophic maneuver that left the aviator facing 83 counts of attempted murder.
Had he been successful, he would have immediately cut off the flow of fuel to the engines.
“When pulled, a valve in the wing closes to shut off fuel to the engine,” an Alaska Airlines spokesperson explained.
“After they are pulled, some residual fuel remains in the line, and the quick reaction of our crew to reset the handles restored fuel flow and prevented fuel starvation.”
Passenger Aubrey Gavello told ABC News the crew had alerted those onboard about a medical emergency in the cockpit before the emergency diversion.
“The flight attendant got back on the speaker and said, plain and simple, ‘He had a mental breakdown. We needed to get him off the plane immediately,’ ” Gavello said.
Sources close to the investigation said they don’t believe his actions were based on any sort of ideology.
Joshua Skule, a former FBI intelligence officer, told CBS News that federal investigators would probe Emerson’s personal life. “They are going to unpack this person’s life,” Skule said. “They are going to go through his social media, all of his computers, his phones.”
The flight’s captain and first officer managed to subdue Emerson, who was off-duty but authorized to sit in the cockpit as an employee of the airline.
Flight 2059 was being operated by Horizon Air, a regional carrier owned by Alaska Airlines. It took off from Everett, Wash., shortly before 5:30 p.m. Sunday.
“The jump-seat occupant unsuccessfully attempted to disrupt the operation of the engines,” an Alaska Airlines spokesperson told The Post. “The crew secured the aircraft without incident.”
The flight was forced to make an emergency diversion to Portland International Airport, where the suspect was taken into custody by the Port of Portland Police. No injuries have been reported in the incident.
Emerson was booked on a litany of 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, the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office confirmed to The Post.
An FAA spokesperson said the agency was engaged with both Alaska and Horizon airlines and is “supporting investigations into Sunday evening’s incident” but declined to comment on the incident further.
Emerson is in custody at the Multnomah County Detention Center in Portland, Ore,. where he is awaiting arraignment, authorities said.
“Investigation on this matter is still active and is being coordinated between local, state and federal law enforcement agencies,” the district attorney’s office said.
The Air Line Pilots Association International praised the flight crew for its swift action in stopping Emerson before the incident became a tragedy. The ALPA called the airline pilot profession “one of the most highly vetted and scrutinized careers,” noting that pilots are “continuously evaluated throughout their careers” through training and medical exams.
An FAA pilot database shows Emerson is listed as a certified pilot who received a medical clearance last month. Aviators are expected to self-report any mental health conditions, two US pilots told Reuters.
In a statement, the Portland office of the FBI said it is investigating the incident and “can assure the traveling public there is no continuing threat related to this incident.”