A former Alaska Airlines pilot who attempted to shut off the engines of a passenger jet while it was in the air will not go to prison as part of a plea agreement, stating in court that the experience forced him to grow as a person.
Joseph Emerson was off-duty and hitching a ride in the cockpit in an empty seat in October 2023. Emerson had taken psychedelic mushrooms a few days earlier and during the flight attempted to shut down the engines, the Associated Press reported.
