Hitchhiker plots to shut down engine of US plane carrying 84 people

Joseph Emerson, the pilot who hitchhiked on an Alaska Airlines plane carrying 84 people, attempted to activate the fire suppression switch to shut down the engine before being overpowered.

The incident occurred on an Embraer E175 aircraft of the American airline Alaska Airlines flying from Washington state to San Francisco on the evening of October 22 (October 23, Hanoi time). The plane was carrying 80 passengers and 4 crew members.

"The aircraft was diverted to Portland due to a security threat involving a person authorized to sit in the cockpit passenger seat," an Alaska Airlines representative said.

The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office said the suspect, Joseph David Emerson, a hitchhiker on the flight, attempted to activate the fire suppression system to shut down both engines but was unsuccessful. He was subdued by the flight crew and turned over to police after landing.

Airlines often allow pilots to hitchhike between locations outside their work schedules. These non-crew members are assigned to the co-pilot seat in the cockpit, without having to buy a ticket like a passenger.

An Alaska Airlines Embraer E175 in 2016. Photo: USA Today — An Alaska Airlines Embraer E175 in 2016. Photo: *USA Today*

Emerson faces 83 counts of attempted murder, 83 counts of recklessly endangering another person, and one count of endangering the safety of an aircraft. US authorities have not released a motive for the suspect's actions.

Passenger aircraft usually have one or two extra seats in the cockpit, behind the crew seats. These seats are usually reserved for aviation inspectors or pilots who are not directly responsible for the operation of the aircraft.

Modern aircraft are equipped with engine fire suppression systems that use inert gases such as Halon 1301 to isolate the fire from oxygen and extinguish the fire. Aircraft with all engines shut down can still fly like a glider, with the electrical and hydraulic systems powered by emergency wind turbines.

Vu Anh (According to Reuters )

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