A former Alaska Airlines pilot accused of trying to sabotage a flight midair has reached a plea deal with federal prosecutors nearly two years after the terrifying incident.
Joseph D. Emerson, 46, pleaded guilty on Friday, September 5, to one felony count of interference with flight crew members and attendants, according to court documents obtained by PEOPLE. As part of the agreement, Emerson also waived his right to a grand jury indictment.
The conviction carries a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. His sentencing is scheduled for November 17.
The charges stem from an October 22, 2023, flight operated by Horizon Air, a subsidiary of Alaska Airlines, from Seattle to San Francisco. Emerson, an off-duty pilot riding in the cockpit’s jump seat, allegedly tried to shut down the plane’s engines mid-flight by pulling the engine fire handles.
According to the criminal complaint, Emerson threw his headset across the cockpit and declared, “I am not okay” moments before attempting to cut the engines.
Quick-thinking flight attendants restrained him and moved him to the back of the aircraft. The plane was diverted to Portland, where it landed safely and Emerson was taken into custody.
During questioning, Emerson reportedly told investigators he had been suffering from extreme sleep deprivation and took psychedelic mushrooms two days earlier. He claimed he thought he was dreaming during the incident and believed shutting off the engines would “wake him up.”
In an August 2024 interview on Good Morning America, Emerson expressed deep regret. “I know what those levers do in a real airplane, and I need to wake up from this,” he said. “It’s 30 seconds of my life that I wish I could change, and I can’t.”
The incident has since been featured in Lie to Fly, a documentary released by FX and Hulu in August 2024, which examines Emerson’s case and the wider conversation around pilot mental health and airline safety.
In addition to the federal plea, Emerson faces 83 counts of endangering others in Oregon. CNN reported he intends to plead no contest to those charges. He had previously pleaded not guilty and was released from custody in December 2023 while awaiting trial.
