No Attempted Murder Charges for Pilot Accused of Trying to Crash a Jetliner

A pilot named Joseph Emerson, who was accused of attempting to crash an Alaska Airlines jetliner in Oregon, will no longer be charged with attempted murder. Instead, a grand jury has indicted him on a felony charge of endangering an aircraft and 83 misdemeanor counts of reckless endangerment. Mr. Emerson was off duty during the flight and sitting in the cockpit jump seat. Initially, he was arrested on charges of attempted murder for all 83 passengers and crew members on board. However, the indictment has superseded those charges.

In an interview with The New York Times, Mr. Emerson claimed that he never intended to harm anyone. He explained that he had consumed hallucinogenic mushrooms for the first time two days prior to the incident and was struggling to distinguish reality. Text messages revealed his desire to return home to his family, and he described feeling convinced that his time in the cockpit was not real.

Mr. Emerson admitted that, in an attempt to wake himself up from what he believed was a dream, he grabbed the plane’s fire-suppression handles, which are designed to shut down the engines in emergencies. The pilots managed to prevent him from pulling them, and he left the cockpit. The flight, which was originally headed from Everett, Washington, to San Francisco, was diverted to Portland, Oregon, where Mr. Emerson was arrested.

For years, pilots have expressed concerns about the strict federal regulations surrounding their mental health. These regulations make pilots reluctant to seek treatment for mental issues or use medication. Even taking standard antidepressants can result in pilots being grounded for months, and it can take a long time to regain flying privileges.

Mr. Emerson stated that he had declined a depression diagnosis and antidepressants following the death of his best friend a few years ago, despite the encouragement of a therapist. He explained that his consumption of mushrooms during a gathering to honor his friend had triggered past traumas from his childhood to adulthood.

In response to the incident, the F.A.A. announced the establishment of a committee to encourage pilots to be more open about mental health issues.

Mr. Emerson’s lawyers expressed disappointment with the charges pursued by the grand jury and anticipated his release to return home to his family. They look forward to presenting all the facts and circumstances of the case to a trial jury.