Hitchhiker plotted to turn off engine of US plane carrying 84 people

Joseph Emerson, a 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 plane had to divert to Portland due to a security threat involving a person authorized to sit in the cockpit passenger seat," said an Alaska Airlines representative.

The Multnomah County Sheriff's Office said the suspect, Joseph David Emerson, a hitchhiker on the flight, tried unsuccessfully to activate the fire suppression system to shut down the plane's two engines. 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 cockpit as co-pilots, without having to buy tickets like passengers.

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

Emerson faces 83 counts of attempted murder, 83 counts of recklessly endangering others 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 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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