The off-duty pilot accused of trying to bring down an Alaska Airlines flight told investigators he had not slept for 40 hours and believed he was having a “nervous breakdown,” and also admitted to the use of psychedelic mushrooms, according to a federal complaint filed Tuesday.
The FBI is investigating whether the off-duty pilot — Joseph Emerson, 44, of California — was under the influence when he tried to shut down the plane’s engines while sitting in the cockpit of Sunday’s flight from Everett, Washington, to San Francisco, officials told NBC News.
Emerson denied to investigators he had taken any medications before getting on the flight, but spoke about becoming depressed six months ago and said it was his first time taking mushrooms, the complaint said.
“I didn’t feel OK,” Emerson said, telling investigators that he was tired and dehydrated, according to the complaint. “It seemed like the pilots weren’t paying attention to what was going on.”
“I pulled both emergency shut off handles because I thought I was dreaming and I just wanna wake up,” he added.