A federal judge in Portland, Oregon, ruled that former Alaska Airlines pilot Joseph Emerson will not serve prison time after attempting to cut the engines of a passenger flight in 2023. Judge Amy Baggio sentenced Emerson to time served and three years of supervised release on Monday (November 17). The case highlighted the need for increased mental health support for pilots.

Emerson, who was off-duty and riding in the cockpit, attempted to cut the engines of a Horizon Air flight from Everett, Washington, to San Francisco on October 22, 2023. The flight crew subdued him, and the plane, carrying over 80 passengers, safely diverted to Portland. After his arrest, Emerson told police he was distressed over a friend's death, had taken psychedelic mushrooms two days earlier, and had not

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