A former Alaska Airlines pilot has pleaded guilty to charges related to a midair incident that prompted an emergency landing. Joseph Emerson, 46, entered his plea in federal court on Friday. He attempted to shut down the engines of a passenger plane while seated in the cockpit jump seat during a flight in October 2023.

Emerson's attorney confirmed that he reached plea agreements in both federal and state cases in Oregon. In federal court in Portland, he pleaded guilty to interference with flight crew members and attendants. Court records indicate that Emerson had used psilocybin, a hallucinogenic compound found in mushrooms, two days prior to the flight. He stated in a court filing that he was still experiencing the drug's aftereffects during the flight.

"Although I was sitting in the jump seat and interacting with the flight crew, I believed I was either dreaming and felt an overwhelming need to wake up," Emerson said. He explained that in an effort to 'wake up' from what he perceived as a dream, he pulled the dual fire extinguisher handles for the aircraft engines while the plane was in flight.

Emerson acknowledged that he knew pulling the handles would shut off the engines. However, he believed it would help him escape his 'dream' and reunite with his family. The flight crew intervened, grabbing his hands to prevent the engines from shutting down. Thanks to their quick actions, the engines remained operational, and the aircraft landed safely.

Emerson is scheduled for sentencing in the federal case on November 17. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. He also has a plea hearing for state charges, which include 83 counts of recklessly endangering another person and one count of endangering an aircraft.

Initially facing multiple attempted murder charges, Emerson was indicted by a grand jury in Multnomah County. He had taken psychedelic mushrooms while celebrating the life of a deceased friend shortly before the flight. Emerson described the incident as the worst 30 seconds of his life, stating, "At the end of the day, I accept responsibility for the choices that I made. They're my choices."

He reported feeling trapped during the flight and struggled with reality, leading him to pull the engine shut-off handles. After the flight was diverted to Portland, Emerson told police he was "in crisis" and had not slept for about 48 hours. He later learned from a physician that he suffered from hallucinogen persisting perception disorder, which can cause prolonged visual disturbances after using psychedelics.

In response to the incident, Emerson and his wife established a nonprofit organization called Clear Skies Ahead, aimed at promoting pilot mental health awareness and support.