US Pilot Who Tried To Shut Down Engine Mid-Flight Had "Mental Breakdown": Passenger

An Alaska Airlines pilot, who tried to shut down plane's engines mid-flight, is facing 83 counts of attempted murder, The Washington Post reported. Joseph David Emerson, the off-duty pilot, was sitting in the cockpit behind the captain and the first-officer. The flight was on its way from Everett, Washington, to San Francisco, California, with 80 passengers on board. It was forced to divert to divert to Portland on Sunday when Emerson, 44, tried to disrupt the plane's engines, the outlet further said.

He is also facing charges 83 misdemeanour counts of reckless endangerment and one count of endangering an aircraft, the Post said in its report. No injuries were reported in the incident.

Alaska Airlines had said in a statement that Flight 2059 "reported a credible security threat" after Emerson "attempted to disrupt the operation of the engines".

The FBI said the pilot safely landed the plane at Portland International Airport about 6:25 pm Pacific time on Sunday. He was restrained by the flight's captain and first officer.

"The flight attendant got back on the speaker and said, plain and simple, 'He had a mental breakdown. We needed to get him off the plane immediately'," Aubrey Gavello, one of the passengers, told ABC News.

Emerson's conduct shocked his neighbours who found it "really shocking".

"They are excellent neighbours. He is a fantastic father. He plays with the kids all the time. He's very friendly. He's just a great guy," Karen Yee was quoted as saying by the New York Post.

"We have a son with special needs, and he's very good to him. We just couldn't imagine him doing anything to hurt someone," she added.

There has been no reaction from Emerson's family so far.

Emerson is being held at the Multnomah County Detention Center in Portland, where he is awaiting arraignment.