Pilot who tried to shut flying plane’s engine on magic mushrooms
Joseph Emerson told police he had not slept for 40 hours
Daily TribuneJoseph Emerson told police he had not slept for 40 hours
The off-duty American pilot who tried to shut down the engines of a plane mid-flight on Sunday had taken magic mushrooms and had not slept for 40 hours, court documents showed Tuesday.
Magic mushrooms contain hallucinogenic chemical called psilocybin according to Medical News Today.
After being cuffed with wrist restraints and seated at the rear of the aircraft, Joseph Emerson also tried to open an emergency exit "because I thought I was dreaming and I just want to wake up," he told police, according to a criminal complaint.
Emerson told the investigating officer it was his first time taking mushrooms.
The 44-year-old was arrested on Sunday evening after the Alaska Airlines flight he disrupted made an emergency landing in Portland, Oregon.
Emerson had boarded the flight — which was operated by Horizon Air — between Everett, Washington and San Francisco, sitting in the jump seat of the cockpit, in line with airline policy for non-working staff.
A short way into the journey, after chatting with the pilots "Emerson attempted to grab and pull two red fire handles that would have activated the plane's emergency fire suppression system and cut off fuel to its engines," the United States Department of Justice said.
"After a brief physical struggle with the pilots, Emerson exited the cockpit."
Alaska Airlines said Monday that pilots had reacted quickly to reverse the handles, and the aircraft with 80 passengers had landed safely.
The US Attorney's Office for the District of Oregon said Emerson faces a federal charge of interfering with flight crew members and attendants.
He has also been charged in Oregon with 83 counts of attempted murder, 83 counts of reckless endangerment and one count of endangering an aircraft.
US media reported that he pleaded not guilty to these charges during a brief court appearance in Portland on Tuesday.
