On October 23, 2023, Horizon Air Flight 2059, departing from Everett, Washington, en route to San Francisco, diverted to Portland, Oregon, because of a bizarre and alarming in-flight emergency. An authorized jumpseat rider, Alaska Airlines captain Joseph Emerson, had reached up to the overhead panel in an attempt to pull both of the Embraer 175’s fire handles. Among other functions, activation of the handles would have resulted in the fuel being cut off from the engines.
The Horizon Air pilots’ immediate response to Emerson’s shocking act averted a serious emergency situation. They are to be commended. Conducting a dual engine failure checklist for real is not a walk in the park.
