On Friday, September 5th, 2025, in Portland, Oregon an off duty pilot Joseph David Emerson pleaded guilty after being accused of turning off the engines of a plane on October 22nd of 2023. Emerson then was sentenced Friday to 50 days in jail, which he has already served, five years’ probation, 664 hours of community service and $60,569 in restitution.

Former commercial pilot, Joseph David Emerson who had earlier taken a drug; psilocybin mushrooms, said to the pilot “I am not okay”(Sept. 5, 2025, Phil Helsel). Before trying to cut the engine mid air by pulling the fire suppression handle and the fuel cutoff lever, which are designed to shut down an engine. Emerson was then taken into custody in Portland, Oregon after emergency landing which successfully lead 84 including (11 under the age of 14) people into safety. He pleaded no-contest to reckless endangerment and first-degree endangering an aircraft in Oregon state court, and guilty in federal court. Flight attendant told the officers “Joseph David Emerson was riding off-duty in the cockpit of an Alaska Airlines flight when he told the pilots “I am not okay” before trying to cut the engines midair, court documents showed”(Sept. 5, 2025, Phil Helsel)

After pleading guilty on Friday, Sept. 5th He was sentenced to 50 days in jail which he had already served, 5 years probation, 664 hours of community service hours 60,659$ in restitution.“What Joseph Emerson did was reckless, selfish, and criminal,” Multnomah County, Oregon, Deputy District Attorney said after sentencing. “We should remember how closely he came to ruining the lives of not just the 84 people aboard Flight 2059, but all of their family members and friends as well” (Sept. 5, 2025, Phil Helsel). The federal charges carries a maxim of 20 years, and the plea deal doesn’t lay out a recommended sentencing range, sending in the federal court was set for November, 17th.