Off-duty pilot Joseph Emerson allegedly tried to shut off engines on Alaska Airlines flight

An off-duty pilot has been charged with 83 counts of attempted murder — after he allegedly tried to crash a San Francisco-bound Alaska Airlines flight by shutting off the engines.

The pilot, identified by police as Joseph David Emerson, 44, was sitting in the cockpit’s jump seat — located behind the captain and the first officer — when he tried to activate the jet’s fire suppression system midflight, the airline said in a statement.

If he was successful, he would have cut off the flow of fuel to the engines.

“When pulled, a valve in the wing closes to shut off fuel to the engine. After they are pulled, some residual fuel remains in the line, and the quick reaction of our crew to reset the handles restored fuel flow and prevented fuel starvation,” an Alaska Airlines spokesperson explained.

The flight’s captain and first officer managed to subdue the suspect Emerson, who was off-duty but authorized to sit in the cockpit.

Flight 2059 was being operated by Horizon Air, a regional carrier owned by Alaska Airlines. It took off from Everett, Wash. shortly before 5:30 p.m. Sunday.

“The jump seat occupant unsuccessfully attempted to disrupt the operation of the engines. The Horizon Captain and First Officer quickly responded, engine power was not lost and the crew secured the aircraft without incident,” an Alaska Airlines spokesperson told the Post.

The flight was forced to make an emergency diversion to Portland International Airport, where the suspect was taken into custody by the Port of Portland Police. No injuries have been reported in the incident.

“An off-duty employee from another airline caused an inflight disturbance while in the cockpit. The flight crew was able to detain the subject and the flight landed safely at Portland International Airport just before 6:30 p.m.,” according to the Port of Portland Police, who confirmed the investigation is ongoing.

“The Port of Portland Police Department is working closely with our partners at the FBI, TSA, FAA, and Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office.”

Emerson was booked on a litany of charges, including 83 counts of attempted murder in the first degree, 83 counts of recklessly endangering another person and one count of endangering an aircraft in the first degree, the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office confirmed to the Post.

A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) spokesperson said the agency was engaged with both Alaska and Horizon Airlines and is “supporting investigations into Sunday evening’s incident aboard a Horizon Airlines flight,” but declined to comment on the incident further.

Emerson is currently in custody at the Multnomah County Detention Center in Portland, Ore. where he is awaiting arraignment, authorities said.

“Investigation on this matter is still active and is being coordinated between local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies,” the district attorney’s office said.