Off-duty pilot tries to shut down engines of Alaska Airlines plane during flight, authorities say

PORTLAND, Oregon — An off-duty pilot is facing dozens of criminal charges after he was accused of trying to shut down the engines of a commercial airliner in midflight, reports say.

The captain and first officer on Alaska Airlines Flight 2059 were able to subdue Joseph David Emerson, 44, before he could “disrupt the operation of the engines” during Sunday’s flight, the airline said in a statement. The airline says Emerson, who was in the flight deck’s jump seat, tried to shut down the engines by pulling a T-handle that engages the fire suppression system, causing a valve in the wing to shut off fuel to the engine.

“In this case, the quick reaction of our crew to reset the T-handles ensured engine power was not lost,” the statement says. “Our crew responded without hesitation to a difficult and highly unusual situation and we are incredibly proud and grateful for their skillful actions.”

The plane was diverted to Portland International Airport and Emerson was taken into custody, the statement says. The FBI and the Port of Portland Police Department are investigating. The flight had taken off from Everett, Washington, and was traveling to San Francisco. Passengers changed planes in Portland to complete their trip.

ABC News reports Emerson is charged with 83 counts of attempted murder, 83 counts of reckless endangerment, and one felony count of endangering an aircraft.

According to the airline, Emerson joined Alaska Air Group as a Horizon first officer in August 2001. In June 2012, he left Horizon to join Virgin America as a pilot. Alaska Air Group acquired Virgin America in 2016, at which time Emerson became an Alaska Airlines first officer. He became a captain in 2019.

CNN reports that investigators do not believe there are any links to terrorism or ideologically motivated violence in connection with the incident.