Last October, an off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot shut down the engines and nearly crashed the plane. That story is covered in “Lie to Fly,” and while it may sound like a rehash of the kind of graphic crime stories often featured on shows like “Dateline,” it’s not. “Lie to Fly,” the latest installment in FX’s “New York Times Presents” documentary series, offers a moving and engrossing look at not only why this man descended into psychosis but also why it has to do with what many experts say are counterproductive FAA rules on the use of mental health and anxiety and depression medications.
Joseph Emerson had been a pilot for the airline for many years before the now infamous crash. Married with children, he had a modest appearance and seemed kind and reliable. But the sudden death of his best friend plunged him into deep grief. “It was the first time in my life that someone who was meaningful and important to me was suddenly gone.” He couldn’t get access to a psychiatrist who could prescribe antidepressants. “Soon I would not be able to fly a plane.”
That’s because the FAA has a lengthy process for medical certification for pilots who report health problems. “I certainly have pilots who come in and don’t disclose a medical condition,” says aviation medical examiner Brent Blue. “I certainly have pilots who come in and don’t disclose mental health issues. I think it’s actually a common problem where people don’t disclose because they don’t want to go through the FAA process.”
Their fear is that they’ll be disqualified and unable to work for a long period of time, which means some pilots choose to take matters into their own hands (to borrow the title’s phrase, they lie to get away with flying), and in Emerson’s case, it led to a terrible decision that he clearly regrets.
A close-up of a pilot medical certificate shown on “The New York Times Presents: Lie to Fly.” (FX)
While on a mountain retreat with friends, someone brought some hallucinogenic mushrooms and encouraged Emerson to try them. “People close to me that I trusted were using the substance and said it made them feel good.” Emerson says it was out of character for him to even think about it, but at that point, his depression had been untreated for so long that “my barriers to using had been removed.” Instead of feeling calm or strange, Emerson says he experienced delusions. “I was so lonely and so scared. I was so scared of these people that I knew so well. I remember being scared that they were going to kill me.” And he didn’t know if he was dreaming or awake.
Two days later, Emerson arrived at the airport to catch his flight home, sleep-deprived and still extremely disoriented. As he sat in the jump seat in the cockpit, his anxiety grew and he reached for the controls before the two pilots stopped him. Imagine having a nightmare and doing something reckless to wake up? That’s how Emerson described the moment. As he was restrained and taken to the rear of the plane, he told the flight attendant “I don’t know what’s real” and asked to be handcuffed. It was a devastating experience for all involved, and it was only when he returned to the ground and was arraigned in court that Emerson finally understood “the magnitude of what had just happened, and that I was in reality.”
Emerson is out on bail and still faces state and federal charges. His trial is expected to begin in the fall. Not mentioned here, and it’s a glaring omission, is why he and his lawyer agreed to the interview. Is this an attempt to influence perception of the case? Maybe. Making a documentary would probably have been a wise choice, since neither of them are cynical or manipulative, and I feel genuine sympathy for Emerson, who seems like a very decent person who was in a terrible situation and feels deep shame about it all. I suspect many will walk away thinking that if he is found guilty, the prison sentence would be too harsh. Perhaps some viewers won’t be as sympathetic. But we need more transparency about Emerson’s motivations for participating in this project. As viewers, we should demand high standards from this kind of journalism brand of endeavor.
That said, Emerson’s story is more of a case study into the documentary’s larger concerns about FAA policy.
“Does a diagnostic result necessarily mean that a pilot is unfit to perform his duties? In many cases, that’s an open question,” says Dr. William Hoffman, a professor of aviation at the University of North Dakota. Experts interviewed here agree that common-sense improvements are needed in the way the FAA deals with these issues.
There is also a local perspective. Illinois Congressman Shawn Kasten (6th District) wants to reform the FAA. Alan Houser and Ann Sue, a couple who live near Chicago, are interviewed about their son, John. John was a college student studying to be a commercial pilot. Three years ago, before setting off on a solo flight, John texted his parents to tell them he loved them. A few hours later, his parents learned that John had intentionally crashed the plane, and they give a thoughtful and moving account of the experience. In the note John left behind, he wrote: “If there’s anything you can do for me, I want you to lobby the FAA to change the rules for pilots seeking mental health help.”
Joe Emerson is interviewed on “The New York Times Presents: Lie to Fly” (FX)
The documentary doesn’t say whether anyone supports the FAA’s current system, but it would be good to know. But at least one FAA representative makes it clear that a lack of funding and manpower is to blame for the delays. The film also doesn’t explore standards in other professions. What are the rules regarding antidepressant use for locomotive engineers, bus drivers, and truck drivers? Do those policies differ from the FAA’s? If so, why? Again, if a project like this has the press stamp — if that’s one of its main selling points — it needs to be more journalistically rigorous.
Still, “Lie to Fly” makes a compelling case that the current system doesn’t work for everyone.
“Many pilots have mental illnesses but don’t disclose them,” Hauser said, “so we believe it’s a false choice between healthy pilots and protecting passengers. We believe there are pilots in the cockpit right now who have mental illnesses but aren’t receiving treatment.”
“So the real decision is: Will the public be safer if we treat the pilots, or will they be safer if we don’t treat them?”
“The New York Times Presents: Lie to Fly” — 3 out of 4 stars
How to watch: Fridays at 9 p.m. on FX (streaming on Hulu)
Nina Metz is a Tribune critic.
