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An off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot is being charged with attempted murder for allegedly trying late Sunday to kill the engines on a Washington-to-San Francisco flight while he was a cockpit passenger, according to authorities.

The pilot, identified as Joseph David Emerson, 44, is charged with 83 felony counts of attempted murder, 83 counts of reckless endangerment and one charge of endangering an aircraft, according to online booking records from the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office, in Portland, Oregon.

The airline diverted the flight Everett, Wash., to Portland because of a "credible security" threat, NBC News reported Monday.

Emerson was is the cockpit's jump seat and was headed to San Francisco where he was scheduled to be on a flight crew of a 737. He reportedly subdued before the flight was diverted.

"The jump seat occupant unsuccessfully attempted to disrupt the operation of the engines," the airline said. "The Horizon Captain and First Officer quickly responded, engine power was not lost and the crew secured the aircraft without incident."

Thank God he didn't try this on a flight he was in command of. It would have been 1v1 at that point. Just think if he were a FFDO!

Partial ATC audio.

Holy shit. I hope the Captain and FO beat the absolute tar out of him getting him off the flight deck.

Guess the airlines cut back on Psychological screenings.

Wonder if this is a similar incident to EgyptAir Flight 990.

More like the German pilot who deliberately flew his plane into a mountain.

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
Guess the airlines cut back on Psychological screenings.

I'd imagine the threat of losing their medical keeps a whole lot of pilots from seeking any kind of help.

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
More like the German pilot who deliberately flew his plane into a mountain.

Yes, another very similar crash. The GermanWings incident was more of an intentional controlled-flight-into-terrain, while the EgyptAir crash is believed to have also involved intentional shutdown of the engines, similar to this event. (It's believed the First Officer became homicidal/suicidal after being informed he was being relieved of flight duty due to sexual harrassment issues.)

quote:

Originally posted by MikeGLI:
Holy shit. I hope the Captain and FO beat the absolute tar out of him getting him off the flight deck.

Yup. That dude would have been a pile of bloody, pulpified goo and permanently maimed before he was released to sit the rest of the flight in the cabin.

Needless to say, he'll NEVER step foot on an airplane again, either as a passenger OR a pilot (or he had better not). I'm sure, and I would HOPE both, the FAA and Alaska Air have pulled his medical and pilot certificates, NEVER to fly again.

Is he likely to be convicted? What is his he likely prison time?

Those are considered FEDERAL crimes. I hope the prison time is expressed in terms of YEARS....not MONTHS.

quote:

Originally posted by Skull Leader:
Thank God he didn't try this on a flight he was in command of. It would have been 1v1 at that point. Just think if he were a FFDO!

But that's the big question for me. Why didn't he just wait? I know no one here knows the answer. And "crazy doesn't think rationally" is insufficient; we have a history of psychotic serial killers who were deliberate and thoughtful in carrying out their crimes.

Shocked neighbors in his California community said he is a loving husband and father to his two young sons who did not seem to have any issues

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/ne...er-plane-engine.html

quote:

Originally posted by erj_pilot:
Needless to say, he'll NEVER step foot on an airplane again, either as a passenger OR a pilot ...

If he's convicted on the charges that have been brought, that will be the least of his worries.

He's a lefty wingnut.

I'm still looking for the article, but they seem to be disappearing quickly. When I woke up this morning, there were copies of his social media posts. He's a libtard, throwing a tantrum for not getting his way. This is what lefty libtards do, they are mentally ill terrorists, and this guy proved it once again.

That’s not gonna look good in his log book.

Betting he just had all of his certificates revoked

A few new details... after his efforts to sabotage flight operations was thwarted, the alleged perpetrator moved to the rear of the aircraft on his own, and calmly accepted being handcuffed to a rail. [ETA: apparently he did try to open an emergency door after leaving the cabin.]

The absence of any major drama in the cabin led the other passengers to believe the re-routing was due to a medical emergency, except for one passenger who received real-time ATC updates over the plane's WiFi of the more serious situation from his pilot sister on the ground.

SF Gate

This message has been edited. Last edited by: kkina,

The "T-handles" he attempted to pull would have shut down the engines and activated the fire suppression system. Depending on the altitude, the pilots may or may not have been able to restart the engines.


T-handles by kpkina, on Flickr

Shocked neighbors in his California community said he is a loving husband and father to his two young sons who did not seem to have any issues[/quote]
^^^^^^^^^^^
Of course not. A familiar refrain in these cases. Neighbors of serial killers say the same thing.