(Portland, OR) -- The former Alaska Airlines pilot accused of trying to crash a plane carrying more than 80 people from Washington state while off-duty two years ago is changing his plea. Court documents show an arraignment and change-of-plea hearing have been scheduled for Joseph David Emerson for September 5th. Emerson was riding in the cockpit jump seat on a flight from Everett to San Francisco in 2023 when he allegedly tried to shut down the jet's engines. Emerson told police he hadn't slept in 40 hours, was suffering a nervous breakdown, and had used psychedelic mushrooms 48 hours before the flight.