Pilot Attempted to Crash Plane After Taking Psychedelics

Joseph Emerson, a 46-year-old pilot, was involved in a serious incident on a flight from Washington to San Francisco in October 2023. Two days prior to the flight, he had taken psilocybin mushrooms and was still under their influence while in the cockpit. During the flight, Emerson tried to sabotage the plane by pulling the fire handles for the engines, believing it would wake him from what he thought was a dream. Fortunately, the trained crew managed to intervene and prevent any catastrophic outcome, keeping the engines operational and landing safely. In a plea deal, Emerson has acknowledged his actions and faces potential sentencing later this fall, with risks of 20 years in prison and hefty fines.

Loaded 688 words in 1 ms