(NewsNation) — An off-duty pilot accused of attempting to bring a flight down mid-air admitted to experimenting with psychedelic mushrooms, according to a court filing.
According to the documents, Joseph David Emerson told police he believed he was having a nervous breakdown and had not slept for 40 hours. He admitted he became depressed approximately six months prior and discussed using psychedelic mushrooms with officers, saying it was his first time taking mushrooms.
He reportedly said he consumed the mushrooms 48 hours prior to the flight.
Emerson reportedly told officers the pilots didn’t seem right and he pulled the emergency shutoff because he thought he was dreaming and wanted to wake up.
Emerson, a pilot for Alaska Airlines, was riding in the jump seat of the cockpit en route to a flight he was set to pilot when he reportedly attempted to pull the handles that would activate the plane’s fire suppression system and shut off fuel to the engine.
The pilots prevented him from doing so and flight attendants restrained Emerson at the rear of the aircraft. Emerson also reportedly tried to open the emergency exit during the plane’s descent but was stopped by a flight attendant. The flight from Washington to San Francisco was diverted to Portland and Emerson was arrested on landing.
According to the court filings, Emerson allegedly said “I’m not okay” just before his attempt to shut down the engine. The documents also state he told a flight attendant to restrain him or “it would get really bad.” and another flight attendant reported hearing him say, “He messed everything up and that he tried to kill everybody.”
Emerson is also reported to have asked to waive his right to an attorney because he admitted to what he didn’t and didn’t want to face charges.
Emerson is being charged with 83 counts of attempted murder, 83 counts of reckless endangerment and one count of endangering an aircraft.
Read the full affidavit below: