"Ex-Alaska Airlines Pilot Released After Alleged Attempt to Cut Plane's Engines"

An ex-Alaska Airlines pilot accused of attempting to cut the engines of a passenger flight while off-duty and riding in the cockpit has been released from jail pending trial. Joseph Emerson pleaded not guilty to reduced charges of reckless endangerment and also faces a federal charge of interfering with a flight crew. The release conditions include mental health services, staying away from drugs and alcohol, and not coming within 30 feet of an operable aircraft. Emerson's wife expressed relief that her husband was coming home and hopes the case raises awareness about pilot mental health. The incident has sparked renewed attention on cockpit safety and the mental fitness of those allowed in them.