New Delhi, Dec. 12 -- A disturbing cockpit recording has resurfaced online, shedding new light on an October 2023 incident in which an off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot allegedly tried to shut down a passenger jet's engines mid-flight. The pilot, identified as Joseph Emerson, was riding in the cockpit jump seat on a Horizon Air-operated Embraer E75 flying from Seattle to San Francisco when he reportedly reached for two emergency engine shut-off handles, triggering a brief struggle in the cockpit, Fox News reported.

The aircraft, carrying 83 passengers and crew, was forced to divert to Portland for an emergency landing. Newly circulated audio captures the tense moments inside the cockpit: an on-duty pilot can be heard asking Emerson what is ...