Ex-pilot accused of trying to cut a passenger flight's engines reaches plea deals, his lawyer says

"A former Alaska Airlines pilot accused of trying to cut the engines of a passenger flight in 2023 while riding off-duty in the cockpit has reached plea agreements with state and federal prosecutors, his attorney said Thursday. Attorney Noah Horst declined to discuss details of the agreements ahead of change-of-plea hearings his client, Joseph Emerson, faces Friday in state and federal court in Oregon. He said that Emerson reached the plea agreements because he wants to take responsibility for his actions and hopes to avoid further time behind bars."

"Emerson told police he was despondent over a friend's recent death, had taken psychedelic mushrooms about two days earlier, and hadn't slept in over 40 hours. He has said he believed he was dreaming at the time and that he was trying to wake himself up by grabbing two red handles that would have activated the plane's fire suppression system and cut off fuel to its engines."

"He was charged in federal court with interfering with a flight crew. A state indictment in Oregon separately charged him with 83 counts of endangering another person and one count of endangering an aircraft. He previously pleaded not guilty to all the charges, but on Friday was expected to plead guilty to the federal charge and no-contest to the state charge, which carries the same legal effect as a guilty plea."

Joseph Emerson reached plea agreements with state and federal prosecutors after an off-duty cockpit incident in which he attempted to cut aircraft engines. Flight crew members subdued Emerson on Oct. 22, 2023, and the Horizon Air flight was diverted to Portland and landed safely with more than 80 people aboard. Emerson told police he was despondent over a friend’s death, had used psychedelic mushrooms about two days earlier, and had not slept for over 40 hours; he said he believed he was dreaming and grabbed handles to wake himself. Federal and state charges allege flight interference and multiple counts of endangering others; Emerson had been released pending trial under mental-health and substance-use conditions and now faces change-of-plea hearings.

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