Off-Duty Pilot Attempts to Shut Down Engines Midflight, Subdued by Crew

"An off-duty pilot riding in the extra seat in the cockpit of a Horizon Air passenger jet tried to shut down the engines in midflight and had to be subdued by the crew."

An off-duty pilot who attempted to shut down the engines of a Horizon Air passenger jet midflight was subdued by the crew, according to information provided by a pilot on board. The incident took place on October 23rd and is now under investigation by authorities in Oregon.

The man involved has been identified as Joseph David Emerson, aged 44. As of Monday, he was held on charges including 83 counts each of attempted murder and reckless endangerment, along with one count of endangering an aircraft. These charges were confirmed by the Multnomah County Sheriffs Office.

Diverted Flight

The flight that faced this threat was bound for San Francisco but had to be diverted to Portland, Oregon following the incident. Upon landing, officers from the Port of Portland took Emerson into custody.

Airline's Response

Alaska Airlines, which owns regional carrier Horizon Air where Emerson served as a pilot, acknowledged that the threat came from one of their own pilots who was not on duty at the time but authorised to occupy the cockpit jump seat. They praised their captain and co-pilot for reacting swiftly ensuring engine power remained intact and securing the aircraft without any major incidents. In their statement released Monday they clarified that no weapons were involved in this episode.

FBI Investigation

The FBI office located in Portland announced that they are investigating this matter while assuring travellers there is no continuing threat related to this incident. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) also confirmed its support towards law enforcement investigations but refrained from commenting further about it.

Past Incidents

This isn't an isolated case where pilots have been suspected behind deliberate crashes or threats posed towards flights' safety. A Germanwings jet crash in the French Alps in 2015 was believed to have been caused by the co-pilot who practised putting the plane into a dive. In another incident that occurred in 2018, a Horizon Air ground agent stole an empty plane at Sea-Tac International Airport and crashed it into Puget Sound after being chased by military jets.

Details of the Flight

The flight on which Sunday's incident took place was a 76-seat Horizon Air Embraer 175 that departed from Everett, Washington, at 5:23 p.m. local time and landed safely in Portland an hour later. Alaska Airlines did not immediately reveal how many passengers were onboard but confirmed they continued their journey to San Francisco on a later flight.

In conclusion, this event raises questions about airline safety procedures and highlights the need for stringent measures to ensure such incidents are prevented. The investigation is ongoing and further details are awaited as authorities work towards determining Emerson's motive behind his actions.