Portland, United States: A federal judge has ruled that Joseph David Emerson, a former Alaska Airlines pilot, will not serve additional prison time following a high-profile incident in October 2023, in which he attempted to disable the engines of a commercial flight while off-duty.
On October 22, 2023, during Horizon Air Flight 2059 (operated for Alaska Airlines) from Everett, Washington, to San Francisco, Emerson, seated in the cockpit jump seat, attempted to pull down two red fire-suppression handles which would have cut off fuel to the engines.
The flight crew quickly intervened, restrained Emerson, reset the handles, and safely diverted the aircraft to Portland International Airport. There were no injuries; 84 people were on board.
Emerson later pleaded guilty to federal charges of interfering with a flight crew, and entered a no-contest plea to state charges including 83 counts of reckless endangerment and one count of endangering an aircraft.
In state court, he was sentenced to 50 days in jail (credit for time served), five years of probation, 664 hours of community service, and more than US$ 60,000 in restitution, most of which goes to Alaska Air Group.
On November 17, 2025, U.S. District Judge Amy Baggio ruled that Emerson would receive time served (46 days in pretrial detention) and three years of supervised release, declining to impose further prison time. Federal prosecutors had sought one year behind bars.
At sentencing, Judge Baggio said: “Pilots are not perfect. They are human. They are people and all people need help sometimes.”
In court and in subsequent interviews, Emerson acknowledged responsibility for his actions. He said he was grieving a close friend’s death, had not slept for over 40 hours, and had ingested psychedelic mushrooms two days before the flight. He described a dissociative state during the flight, believing he was dreaming and trying to “wake up.”
After the incident, Emerson said he began a process of recovery, including mental health treatment and acknowledging his long-term struggles, including alcohol use.
In response, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)’s mental health panel issued 24 recommendations including non-punitive reporting pathways, revised return-to-work processes, and enhanced confidentiality for pilots seeking help. In September 2025, the U.S. The House of Representatives passed legislation mandating the FAA to implement these reforms.
The incident also drew legal fallout from passengers. In November 2023, several of them filed a civil lawsuit against Alaska Airlines, alleging emotional distress, anxiety, and fear of flying.
