Ex-Airline Pilot Attempts Engine Shutdown Mid-Flight: New Audio and Video Released

Recently disclosed cockpit recordings and police footage provide insight into a harrowing episode involving ex-off-duty pilot Joseph Emerson, who tried to disengage a plane’s engines while allegedly under the lingering influence of hallucinogens. Emerson consumed these substances, known as 'magic mushrooms', two days prior to the incident.

The footage, obtained by CBS News from prosecutors in Portland, Oregon, captures the startling moments. Security cameras at the airport record Emerson being escorted from the aircraft in handcuffs following its emergency landing in Portland in October 2023. This material includes cockpit audio that captures the incident as it unfolded.

The recording reveals Emerson's unsettling admission, "I'm not OK," initially misunderstood by the pilot, who sought clarification. Emerson reiterated his distress, sparking a tense exchange as he expressed a desire to return home. Escalating tensions and expletives were audible as the pilot queried, "Dude, what's going on?!"

The pilot urgently communicated with air traffic control, breathing heavily. He alerted, "Horizon, an emergency landing is necessary. We've encountered an attempt by a jumpseater to turn off the engines. Immediate diversion to Portland is required." A follow-up transmission confirmed Emerson’s removal from the cockpit.

In a July follow-up, Emerson refuted accusations of intending to crash the plane, stating his actions were an attempt to 'wake up', fueled by a conviction of not returning to his family intact. Onboard were 83 passengers and crew, with Emerson positioned in the jumpseat due to occupancy. The controls he engaged are emergency mechanisms designed to cut fuel during fires.

Emerson shared with CBS News his perspective during the incident, describing a dreamlike dissociation. He believed activating the controls would rouse him from this perceived slumber. Post-incident reflection made him realize the severity of reality, marking those moments as among the most critical of his life.

Additional footage shows Emerson in the back of a police vehicle post-arrest. Throughout the 20-minute ride, he remained mostly silent, at one point questioning the officer, "Do you believe in forgiveness?" He expressed a desire for accountability yet pondered whether such recklessness could be forgiven.

Circumstances and Sentencing

Before the incident, Emerson was coping with the grief of losing a close friend. His initial approach was to resort to alcohol, followed by experimenting with psilocybin mushrooms for the first time. He consumed the mushrooms two days before the flight; however, his legal defense highlighted that Emerson suffers from hallucinogen persisting perception disorder, prolonging the drug’s effects beyond usual limits.

In court, Emerson admitted guilt to federally interfering with a flight crew and did not contest state-level charges of endangering an aircraft and 83 individuals. His federal sentence included time already served—46 days in jail—and an additional three-year supervised release period. For the state offenses, Emerson received probation for five years, alongside acknowledgment of his completed jail time.