Prelude to the Best Sommelier of Canada Contest | SaltWire - An off-duty pilot accused of trying to shut off the engines of an Alaska Airlines jet on a weekend flight over the Pacific Northwest was due to make his first court appearance on Tuesday in Portland, Oregon, where he faced 83 counts of attempted murder.
He was booked into jail on 83 counts of attempted murder, 83 counts of recklessly endangering another person and one count of endangering an aircraft, according to a spokesperson for the local prosecutor in Portland. The FAA told U.S. airlines in a notice seen by Reuters that the off-duty pilot had sought to disable the engines of the Embraer 175 by attempting to activate the engines' fire-suppression system while the plane was at cruise altitude.
The Air Line Pilots Association , the world's largest pilots union, which represents aviators at Alaska, said in a statement that the airline"profession in North America is one of the most highly vetted and scrutinized careers."