Two close calls at Portland airport
(OCTOBER 27, 2023) Two separate events at Portland International Airport (PDX) have raised concerns about airline safety.
The first event happened on October 22. An off-duty (not working) Alaska Airlines pilot tried to disrupt a flight. Joseph D. Emerson was in the cockpit's extra seat on Alaska Airlines Flight 2059. The flight was coming from Washington and going to San Francisco. People say he tried to stop the plane's engines. So the pilots took the aircraft to Portland instead. The flight crew controlled Emerson, and the plane landed safely at Portland International Airport. The government is accusing Emerson of over 80 crimes. Emerson says he was experiencing exhaustion, mental illness, and dehydration. He also reports taking psychedelic mushrooms 48 hours earlier.
The second event happened on October 16. An Alaska Airlines flight from California was trying to land at Portland in stormy weather. At the same time, a SkyWest plane was taking off from a parallel runway. The Alaska Airlines plane could not land because of the weather. So it climbed into the air again. However, it started to turn right and toward the SkyWest plane. The two planes came dangerously close. The planes were less than 1,800 feet apart horizontally and 250 feet apart vertically. A collision was avoided thanks to the quick actions of the flight crew and air traffic controllers.
Amaro , Yesenia . “Portland Plane Steers toward Path of Other Airliner. Federal Officials Are Investigating.” Oregonlive, 21 Oct. 2023, www.oregonlive.com/portland/2023/10/portland-plane-steers-toward-path-of-other-airliner-federal-officials-are-investigating.html. Accessed 23 Oct. 2023.
Diaz, Johnny , and Michael Levenson. “Off-Duty Pilot Accused of Trying to Disrupt Engines on Alaska Airlines Flight.” The New York Times, 23 Oct. 2023, www.nytimes.com/2023/10/23/us/alaska-airlines-flight-diverted.html. Accessed 23 Oct. 2023.
Levinson, Jonathan. “Alaska Airlines Pilot Who Tried to Shutdown Engines Mid-Flight Claimed Exhaustion, Mental Illness and Dehydration.” Opb, 24 Oct. 2023, www.opb.org/article/2023/10/24/alaska-airlines-pilot-psychedelic-mushrooms-psilocybin/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2023.
Photo: © Steven Pavlov / https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Senapa