The Alaska Airlines pilot who tried to bring down a plane has avoided a lengthy prison sentence.
Joseph Emerson, traveling off duty in the cabin, had a manic episode and tried to cut the engines during a flight in 2023.
He was sentenced to time served.
Emerson in the Embraer 175 cockpit’s jump seat.
He was released on time served and has three years of supervised release.
He pleaded guilty to interfering with a flight crew as part of a plea deal and had faced up to 20 years in federal prison.
He also took a plea to state charges of endangering an aircraft and was separately sentenced to five years of probation.
Emerson attempted to pull the handles that cut fuel from the engines but was stopped by the on-duty pilots just in time.
“The Horizon captain and first officer quickly responded, engine power was not lost and the crew secured the aircraft without incident,” the airline said at the time.
The plane was then diverted to Portland and Emerson was arrested.
Emerson said he had taken magic mushrooms and alcohol two days before the flight and claimed he was in a ‘dissociative state’ at the time.
“I had no intention of crashing an actual airplane. I wanted to wake up.”
