An off-duty pilot's attempt to turn off a plane's engines mid-flight is even wilder than we thought, court docs reveal

• The off-duty pilot accused of trying to turn off a plane's engines mid-flight is now facing federal charges.
• Court documents detail the bizarre incident that unfolded on Sunday aboard Alaska Airlines Flight 2059.

The off-duty pilot accused of trying to shut off the engines of an Alaska Airlines plane mid-flight told law enforcement it was his first time taking psychedelic mushrooms in the 48 hours before takeoff and that he was incredibly sleep-deprived, according to newly released court documents.

The federal and state court papers shed new light on the bizarre ordeal that unfolded on Sunday on Alaska Airlines Flight 2059 operated by Horizon Air from Everett, Washington, to San Francisco, California.

Joseph Emerson, the off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot, was federally charged Tuesday with one count of interfering with flight crew members and attendants, the US Attorney's Office for the District of Oregon said.

Emerson pleaded not guilty to 83 counts of reckless endangerment and 83 counts of attempted murder in the first degree in state court, and was held after his arraignment Tuesday. His attorney did not respond to Insider's request for comment.

Emerson, 44, was riding as a passenger in the flight deck "jump seat" of the cockpit when he tried to shut down the engines by trying to pull two red fire handles that would have activated the plane's emergency fire suppression system and cut off fuel to its engines, the court papers say.

The pilots flying the plane, which had a total of four crewmembers and 80 passengers, told authorities Emerson did this about halfway between Astoria, Oregon, and Portland, after having a casual conversation with them, including about the weather.

One of the pilots said that Emerson tossed his headset across the cockpit and said "I'm not okay," before he reached up and grabbed the red fire handles and pulled them down, according to a federal criminal complaint.

A pilot then grabbed Emerson's wrist while the other declared an in-flight emergency, the pilots said, explaining that Emerson had to be "wrestled with" for several seconds before he stopped what he was doing, the court documents say.

"Pilot 1 said Emerson initially resisted him, and they physically engaged for a duration he estimated to be 25-30 seconds, and then Emerson quickly settled down," the complaint says.

About 90 seconds passed from the time Emerson said he wasn't okay until he left the cockpit and was restrained by the flight crew, according to the court documents.

Flight attendants ultimately put Emerson in wrist restraints and sat him in the back of the plane before the flight made an emergency landing at Portland International Airport.

"You need to cuff me right now or it's going to be bad," Emerson told a flight attendant, according to the criminal complaint.

As the plane made its descent, Emerson again caused a disturbance when he tried to grab the handle of an emergency exit door, but was stopped by a flight attendant, according to federal prosecutors.

Another flight attendant heard Emerson saying, "I messed everything up" and that he "tried to kill everybody," the court papers say.

"The flight attendant noticed Emerson take out his cellular phone and appeared to be texting on the phone. Emerson was heard saying he had just put 84 peoples' lives at risk tonight including his own."

Port of Portland Police officers arrested Emerson after the flight landed and he told authorities during an interview that he believed he was having a "nervous breakdown," and had not slept in 40 hours, according to the criminal complaint. He also said he felt dehydrated and tired.

"I didn't feel okay. It seemed like the pilots weren't paying attention to what was going on. They didn't...it didn't seem right," Emerson told police, according to the court documents.

He admitted he "pulled both emergency shut off handles because I thought I was dreaming and I just wanna wake up," the court papers say.

The complaint said that Emerson denied taking any medication, "but he stated that approximately six months ago he became depressed."

"The officer and Emerson talked about the use of psychedelic mushrooms and Emerson said it was his first time taking mushrooms," the complaint added.

According to an affidavit filed Tuesday in Oregon's Multnomah County Circuit Court, Emerson told police officers during an interview that he "struggled" with depression for six years and that a friend recently died.

Emerson told police and medical personnel that he had "consumed 'magic mushrooms' approximately 48 hours prior to the incident on the plane," the affidavit says.

"I don't understand why you're showing me so much kindness, I'm obviously f****d up," Emerson said, according to the affidavit.

A Port of Portland Police officer noted that "he did not observe Emerson to be outwardly under the influence of intoxicants," the affidavit states.

While in police custody, Emerson asked if he could waive his right to an attorney, according to federal prosecutors.

"I'm admitting to what I did. I'm not fighting any charges you want to bring against me, guys," Emerson said, according to the federal court papers.