Arguing pilots fly 150 miles past runway

The Guardian ^ | 23 October 2009 | Haroon Siddique

[Erik Latranyi]

Many a person has missed their stop on a bus or train at one time or another because they were engrossed in a weighty conversation or a book.

But when the pilots of Northwest Airlines flight 188 became distracted it had more serious consequences as they overflew their Minneapolis destination by 150 miles.

"They were in a heated discussion over airline policy and they lost situational awareness," the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) explained.

When the pilots got their "situational awareness" back they turned the Airbus A320 around and landed it safely on Wednesday evening, apparently without any of the 144 passengers realising they had taken a roundabout route.

[Erik Latranyi]

Dumb, dumb, dumb

[P8riot]

10 bucks says they were sleeping.

[Infidel Heather]

Dumb and dumber.

[Dan(9698)]

10 bucks says they were sleeping.

Their "heated discussion over airline policy" was all in ZZZZZs

[Jet Jaguar]

Were the pilot and co-pilot married?

I know I have missed an off ramp or two while trying not to argue with the wife.

[shadeaud]

Sounds like the ‘’air bags’’ were working overtime(scene from Airport)

[Dacula]

They can kiss their piloting career goodbye.

[Dr. Ursus]

Those 99 dollar fares don’t buy much nowadays!

[exit82]

They can kiss their piloting career goodbye.

They will be continuing the argument on the unemployment line.

[saganite]

The cockpit voice recorder tells all and would have been pulled immediately so I’m giving this story credibility. NW pilots are some of the most militant in the industry and with Delta running the show now I’m sure there’s lots to “discuss” in the cockpit. Flying the plane? Nah, not so much of a priority.

[6SJ7]

Federal officials are investigating whether pilot fatigue might have played a role, but an NTSB spokesman, Keith Holloway, said the idea that the crew may have fallen asleep was "speculative".

I often has a loss of "situational awareness" after supper while watching the TV, but at least I'm not piloting a jet aircraft.

[ADSUM]

There was a significant problem at the Minneapolis airport on Tuesday, as most flights were delayed.

Perhaps they were expecting a delay in landing on time ....

[Delta 21]

"they lost situational awareness"

[Tennessee Nana]

The friendly skies are so safe...

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

I once went on business trip with a guy who was a private pilot and brought along a hand held GPS (which constantly gave the wrong altitude in a pressurized cabin because is believed the barometric altimeter more than the GPS). They’re lucky they didn’t have someone like that on board.

[zipper]

...which constantly gave the wrong altitude in a pressurized cabin because is believed the barometric altimeter more than the GPS)."

????

[aviator]

They’ve already admitted how it happened... the crew was engaged in a “heated discussion over airline policy” and lost situational awareness.
http://www.twincities.com/topstories/ci_13619032?nclick_check=1

[dalebert]

must be democrats

[Humble Servant]

I believe he’s saying that his friend has a GPS for small private plane use that provides altitude data, and chooses from an internal barometric pressure gauge and altitude readings from satellite data, and that the device uses the pressure as the default preference. This would, of course, be rendered fatally stupid in a pressurized cabin.

[doodad]

Them sleeping is what is being investigated this morning. A flight attendant had to tell them they were past their destination.