PORTLAND, Ore. (KATU) — After former Alaska Airlines pilot Joseph Emerson pleaded no contest on Friday to endangering an aircraft and 83 counts of reckless endangerment, two passengers gave victim-impact statements in Multnomah County courtroom.
Emerson was riding in an extra seat in the cockpit on Oct. 23, 2023, when he grabbed two handles that would have activated the plane’s fire suppression that would have cut off fuel to the plane’s engines. Two pilots wrestled Emerson to get control of the airplane so that he could not pull the handles.
One passenger gave her victim impact statement virtually while a deputy district attorney read another passenger’s statement.
“My husband and I are lucky to be alive today, thanks to the actions of the incredible crew that day. They outnumbered Mr. Emerson and used their training and their wits to manage the unprecedented situation that night, but like each of us on that flight they should have never been put in that situation. I have flown with more anxiety since that day, and I will continue to fly because I must, but I will never ever feel as safe stepping on an airplane, and no one should have to feel this way,” said Alison Snyder.
“I can unequivocally state that the events relating the Flight 2559 have forever changed my life. Going forward, I think to some agree I’ll always have trust issues associated with flying. For me, flying no longer offers a relaxing start to a vacation, or holiday. Flying is simply a means to an end, which offers opportunities to work on life lessons conquering fear and anxiety,” said Deputy District Attorney Eric Pickard as he read Christine Michelle Hacket’s victim statement. “While I am in the plane I am always in a hyper state of vigilance, and I’m unable to rest, relax or sleep. Because of the events of October 22nd 2023, I now view flying as an uncomfortable necessity, one that always poses some degree of personal challenge. I do not believe that anything positive can be achieved by incarcerating Mr. Emerson. I believe his actions were driven by his grief and mental health issues further exacerbated by the influence of psychedelics.”
However, Snyder voiced concern about Emerson’s sentence. Emerson will not be facing additional jail time for his state charges.
“The choices that Joseph Emerson made that day, and the policies that allowed them, nearly led to our deaths. My husband and I are neither judge nor jury but the consequences proposed today seem insufficient, relative to Mr. Emerson’s choices and actions,” said Snyder.
Multnomah County District Attorney Nathan Vasquez was asked about Snyder’s concern in a news conference held about Emerson’s case. He said, “Certainly, I think there can always be questions about what’s the right numbers and different things, but what she was asking for in particular is that we see opportunities for change system-wide. We’re calling for change system-wide. We saw where there was a call for Mr. Emerson to go speak at schools, I believe he’s fully receptive to that.”
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