A former Alaska Airlines pilot who sparked global shock after attempting to shut down a plane’s engines mid-flight will serve no additional prison time, a US federal court ruled on Monday.
Joseph Emerson — who was off-duty and riding in the cockpit jump seat during the October 2023 flight — was sentenced in Portland, Oregon, to time already served and three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to interfering with a flight crew.
Judge Amy Baggio, while acknowledging the gravity of the incident, delivered a strikingly human-centred verdict.
“Pilots are not perfect. They are human,” she said. “All people need help sometimes.”
Emerson claimed he suffered a mental breakdown triggered by hallucinogenic mushrooms, causing him to attempt pulling engine shut-off handles before being restrained by crew members as the plane diverted.
He had previously pleaded no contest to state charges, including endangering an aircraft and 83 counts of endangering passengers. For those offences, he received five years’ probation and 50 days in jail — all of which he has already completed.
The ruling brings a controversial chapter to a close, even as aviation experts continue to debate mental health pressures faced by pilots in high-stakes professions.
