Pilot turned off engine to crash plane carrying 83 passengers
Joseph Emerson flew as a passenger in the cockpit on an Alaska Airlines flight from Everett, Washington, to San Francisco, California, on Oct. 22, 2022. What he did then defies any sick imagination.
Jumping out of the plane
On board the plane were 83 passengers. A licensed pilot, Joseph Emerson was flying in the cockpit as a passenger on that particular flight. But suddenly he had a short circuit in his head. He tried to shut down the plane's engines so the plane would crash. Fortunately, the pilot and co-pilot's lightning-fast reaction allowed them to intervene and keep the plane in the air. Afterwards, he also tried to open an emergency exit in an attempt to jump out of the plane to try to "wake up from his dream". The flight was diverted to Portland, where police handcuffed Joseph Emerson.
Psychedelic drugs
The prison doctor who examined Joseph attributed his bizarre behavior to the consumption of psychedelic mushrooms. After all, he had consumed those over the weekend. The man would spend 45 days in jail before being released on bail. This week, Joseph must answer in court for his diabolical act. “I made a big mistake,” the man sent to his wife just before he was arrested.
Pilot with mental problems
“I take responsibility for my choices,” explains the former pilot. The 40-something admits he had eaten psychedelic mushrooms and was returning from a weekend with friends during which they had reflected on the death of his best friend in 2018. Even before that loss, the man had been struggling with depression for some time. “I was anxious and got the feeling on the plane that I was trapped there and would never get home,” he says. “Suddenly my gaze went to the two red levers that allow the engines to be turned off. For some reason, I thought I would come out of my hallucinogenic state if I grabbed those levers and gave them a jolt. It's 30 seconds of my life that I would like to change, but of course I can't.”
The pilot is charged with 83 counts of attempted murder.
(FVDV for Tagtik/Source: ABC/Illustration: Unsplash)
