Overview
- Prosecutors’ files include flight deck audio in which off-duty pilot Joseph Emerson says, “I’m not OK,” before reaching for red fire‑suppression handles designed to cut fuel to both engines.
- The crew restrained Emerson, removed him from the cockpit, and diverted Horizon Flight 2059 from Everett to a safe landing at Portland International Airport.
- Police dashcam video shows Emerson telling officers he thought he was dreaming, with investigators noting he reported taking psilocybin two days earlier and not sleeping for 48 hours.
- Last month a federal judge sentenced Emerson to time served and three years of supervised release after his guilty plea to interfering with a flight crew, alongside no‑contest pleas in state court.
- Emerson has apologized, paid restitution, and launched a nonprofit focused on pilot mental health as the case informs ongoing discussions about reporting and treatment in aviation.