Breaking Update: Off-Duty Alaska Pilot Charged with Attempted Murder After Trying to Take Control of Plane, Shut Down Engines Midflight
As reported earlier, an Alaska Airlines flight was diverted to Portland Sunday night over a “credible security threat” related to an authorized person in the cockpit.
The airline said the authorized occupant was sitting in the flight deck jump seat.
“On Oct. 22, Alaska Airlines Flight 2059 operated by Horizon Air from Everett, WA (PAE) to San Francisco, CA (SFO) reported a credible security threat related to an authorized occupant in the flight deck jump seat,′ Alaska Airlines said. “The crew secured the aircraft without incident.”
It turns out the man who posed the security threat was an off-duty pilot.
The two pilots in the cockpit immediately jumped into action, neutralized the threat and removed the man from the cockpit.
