Summary
- Off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot says he was in a prolonged hallucinogenic state when he tried to shut down the plane’s engines mid-flight.
- Joseph Emerson believed crashing the plane would wake him up.
- The incident highlights the importance of effective mental health policies for pilots.
More details have emerged about the incident involving the off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot who attempted to shut down the engines of an Embraer E175 mid-flight. Joseph Emerson claims he was in the middle of a hallucinogenic state and thought crashing the plane would wake him up.
Off-duty pilot thought he was in a nightmare
Speaking to the New York Times from Multnomah County Detention Center, Oregon, Emerson said he had boarded Alaska Airlines flight AS2059 from Seattle Paine Field (PAE) to San Francisco (SFO) without incident but would soon grow agitated as the plane reached altitude.
Photo: Alaska Airlines
According to Emerson, he had consumed magic mushrooms roughly two days before while spending the weekend with friends to commemorate the earlier death of his best friend in 2018. Apparently still suffering longer-term effects from consuming the psychedelic, Emerson claims he wanted to wake up from a hallucinogenic state by attempting to activate the plane’s fire impression system, a move that would have shut down its engines and endangered the lives of everyone onboard.
Emerson said,
“I thought it would stop both engines, the plane would start to head towards a crash, and I would wake up.”
The pilot said that remembering the death of his close friend had sent him into a major state of grief, triggering what he claims were longstanding and unresolved mental health issues. As Simple Flying reported last month, Emerson is facing 83 counts of murder – one for each passenger and crew member onboard the Horizon Air flight – and has been remanded in custody.
The effects of magic mushrooms usually last between three and six hours, depending on dosage. However, the NYT states that “researchers have cautioned that psychedelics may have prolonged effects for those vulnerable to a psychotic disorder.” In Emerson’s case, he claims to have been in an extended state of disorientation, confusion and anxiety in the hours preceding the flight.
Pilots and mental health
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has long held a strict stance on grounding pilots with depression or other mental health issues, given the high safety risks involved. While extremely rare, there are cases of pilots deliberately crashing planes – known as suicide-by-pilot – due to mental health problems.
Photo: Denver International Airport
One such pilot, Andreas Lubitz, hid his depression treatment and diagnosis from authorities and would later crash a Germanwings Airbus A320 into the French Alps, killing 150. Other suspected accidents include MH 370 in 2014 and the more recent China Eastern Airlines Flight 5735 last year, of which the investigation is still ongoing.
However, the FAA permitted a limited number of antidepressants around a decade ago and recently made more amendments to its policies, including removing the need for routine neuropsychological evaluations and expanding its list of approved medications. As per FlightGlobal, it will also establish an aviation rulemaking committee (ARC) to explore further changes to its mental health approach.
Despite this, many pilots are reluctant to disclose problems to medical professionals or, as Emerson put it, “aren’t as forthcoming as we otherwise would be.” In Emerson’s case, he said he decided not to seek professional help for his ongoing problems and would instead self-medicate, often with alcohol, due to these barriers.
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Source: New York Times, FlightGlobal
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