— Joseph Emerson, a former Alaska Airlines pilot, pleaded guilty in federal court after attempting to disable a Horizon Air passenger jet’s engines on Oct. 22, 2023; the flight was diverted to Portland and landed safely with more than 80 people on board.
Key takeaways
- Emerson admitted guilt in federal court to interfering with a flight crew on Sept. 5, 2025.
- The October 22, 2023 incident occurred aboard a Horizon Air flight from Everett, Washington, bound for San Francisco; the aircraft was diverted to Portland and landed safely.
- He told investigators he was despondent after a friend’s death, had used psychedelic mushrooms about two days earlier, and had been awake for more than 40 hours.
- Federal prosecutors may recommend up to one year in prison; the state agreement includes five years probation, 664 hours of community service and $60,569 restitution.
- Emerson founded a pilot-health nonprofit, Clear Skies Ahead; up to half of his community service may be completed there, and he must submit to treatment and assessments.
- He was released in December 2023 pending trial under conditions including mental-health treatment, sobriety and staying away from aircraft without permission.
Verified facts
On Oct. 22, 2023, while riding the cockpit jump seat on a Horizon Air flight from Paine Field (Everett), Emerson reached for and pulled two red handles that, if activated, would have triggered the aircraft’s fire suppression system and cut fuel to the engines. Flight crew members restrained him and the flight was diverted to Portland, Oregon, where it landed without injuries. More than 80 passengers and crew were aboard.
Emerson, a resident of Pleasant Hill, California, was charged federally with interfering with a flight crew and later indicted in Oregon on 83 counts of endangering another person plus one count of endangering an aircraft. He initially pleaded not guilty and was released in December 2023 under court-ordered conditions including mental health services and abstaining from drugs and alcohol.
In court on Sept. 5, 2025, Emerson entered a guilty plea in federal court under an agreement with prosecutors. As part of parallel state arrangements, he is expected to enter a no-contest plea to the state counts, which would carry the same legal effect as a guilty plea.
The state agreement reported by Emerson’s attorney, Noah Horst, calls for five years of probation, 664 hours of community service (calculated as eight hours per person endangered), and $60,569 in restitution, mainly payable to Alaska Air Group. Prosecutors on the federal case may recommend up to one year in prison; defense lawyers will ask that no additional custodial time be imposed beyond any federal recommendation.
Context & impact
The episode revived scrutiny of cockpit access rules and the screening of anyone allowed into jump seats, including off-duty crew. Airlines and regulators have faced renewed calls to review procedures for vetting and supervising non-operating personnel in the flight deck.
Mental fitness evaluations for pilots and crew members, and how airlines support bereavement or substance-related issues, have been central to the public discussion since the incident. Emerson has said he founded Clear Skies Ahead, a nonprofit focused on pilot mental-health support, with his wife after his arrest.
Practical consequences of the plea could include court-ordered treatment, restrictions on proximity to aircraft, and community service tied to aviation or public-health programs. Regulators may use the case to reassess guidance on cockpit access, crew training for dealing with disturbed passengers, and reporting of behavioral red flags.
Immediate requirements in the agreement
- Assessments for drug, alcohol and mental-health treatment and ongoing compliance monitoring.
- A prohibition on non-prescribed drug use and a sober-living expectation; Emerson says he has been sober since the incident.
- A restriction to remain at least 25 feet from operable aircraft unless granted permission by a probation officer.
“I take full responsibility for that night,” Emerson told CBS News in July 2024, and his attorney has characterized the plea as a step to accept responsibility while seeking to limit further jail time.
Joseph Emerson; attorney Noah Horst
Unconfirmed or personal assertions
- Emerson’s account that he believed he was dreaming and attempted to wake himself is his personal statement to investigators and has not been independently verified.
- The role of psychedelic mushrooms and sleep deprivation in directly causing his actions is based on Emerson’s own recounting and on investigative reports; causal linkage beyond his statements is a matter for experts and courts.
Bottom line
The guilty plea resolves federal exposure for Emerson and is tied to a state agreement that emphasizes probation, community service and treatment rather than lengthy incarceration. The case keeps attention on pilot mental health, cockpit access policies and airline procedures for preventing and responding to serious onboard disturbances.