Oregon pilot who tried to turn off plane engines had taken magic mushrooms for depression

[jmbar2]

Joseph David Emerson, 44, was riding in the cockpit of the plane as an authorized occupant on Sunday evening when he unsuccessfully tried to disrupt the engines about halfway between Astoria and Portland, according to a probable cause affidavit.

During a police interview, Emerson said he was having "a nervous breakdown," hadn't slept for 40 hours, and felt dehydrated and tired. He admitted to pulling the handles and said he did it because "I thought I was dreaming and I just wanna wake up."

Emerson said he had taken "magic mushrooms" about 48 hours before the incident. He told police he'd been struggling with depression for six years and that one of his friends recently died.

"The officer and Emerson talked about the use of psychedelic mushrooms and Emerson said it was his first time taking mushrooms," a probable cause document said.

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