In an alarming incident, an off-duty pilot from Alaska Airlines, who was riding in the jump seat of a flight departing from Everett, attempted to shut down the engines mid-flight, as revealed in a recorded conversation with air traffic controllers. This incident forced Horizon Air flight 2059, en route to San Francisco, to divert to Portland, where it safely landed. The off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot, identified as Joseph David Emerson, aged 44, was subsequently arrested in Oregon. He now faces a total of 83 charges for attempted murder, reckless endangerment, and endangering an aircraft, as reported by the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office.
Alaska Airlines, which owns Horizon Air, a regional carrier, acknowledged the situation and described it as a “credible security threat related to an authorized occupant in the flight deck jump seat.” The airline emphasized that no weapons were involved in the incident. The quick action of the crew led to the removal of the individual posing the threat from the cockpit. The unsettling incident occurred on a Horizon Air Embraer 175 with 76 seats, departing from Everett, Washington, at 5:23 p.m. local time and reaching Portland an hour later. Specific passenger numbers were not immediately disclosed. The jump seat in the cockpit is typically occupied by off-duty pilots but can also be used by other airline personnel or federal safety inspectors.
This incident has raised significant concerns about aviation security and the use of the jump seat by authorized personnel, highlighting the importance of ensuring the safety and integrity of flight decks on commercial airliners.
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