Off-Duty Alaska Airlines Pilot Attempts to Disable Aircraft Engines While Under Influence of Psychedelic Mushrooms

Dec 12, 2025 04:21 pm CST

In a shocking aviation incident from October 2023, an off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot named Joseph Emerson attempted to shut down a commercial aircraft's engines mid-flight while experiencing effects from psychedelic mushrooms. The Horizon Air flight carrying 83 passengers made an emergency landing in Portland after the on-duty crew successfully intervened, leading to Emerson's arrest and subsequent legal consequences.