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Feds say wrong-way pilots were distracted by laptop use

By: Jerry LimoneOctober 26, 2009

The Northwest pilots who overflew Minneapolis by more than 100 miles last week were distracted by the use of personal laptops to discuss work schedules, the National Transportation Safety Board said Monday.

The use of personal laptops in the cockpit is against company policy, the NTSB noted.

"Neither pilot was aware of the airplane's position until a flight attendant called about five minutes before they were scheduled to land and asked for their estimated time of arrival," the NTSB said.

By that time, the plane was somewhere over Wisconsin. The pilots then turned around and eventually landed the plane and its 144 passengers safely in Minneapolis.

The plane reportedly dropped out of radio communication for about 75 minutes while the pilots discussed a new scheduling system as a result of Delta's merger with Northwest.

There was concern that the plane departing San Diego was hijacked, and military jets were on standby to intercept it.

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#19November 06, 2009
I thought you were flying. No, I thought you were flying. I flew last time. No you didn't, I took off. Well I contacted DEN when we left SAN's airspace. Ya but I retracted the wheels; I always have retract the wheels. I hate doing that. You NEVER do. Yes I do! When? When they are out! ...well not always; sometimes they are supposed to be out. When? When we are landing! Oh... Hey I bet I can beat you in a game of Hearts. I bet you can't! Your on! Let me wake up my laptop.
#18October 28, 2009
Does no one do their job right today?. Where is the pride in what they do? The pilots should have been taken off the plane by Feds when they finally touched down. Did they just walk off as usual ,with briefcase in hand? I hope they are not reinstated. Maybe they'll get a job flying mail and it will get to it's destination on time!
#17October 27, 2009
Well, now we know that both pilots have lost their jobs because of their own stupidity. Computer? I don't think so. It just seems more realistic to have them fall asleep, from boredom maybe, but not from being terribly overworked. Now, correct me if I'm wrong but isn't there a clause in their contract that spells out the maximum hours any pilot can fly? I know that I've been delayed at the airport waiting for the new crew to arrive, and I've been on longer flights where the replacement pilot is onboard for a mid-flight change. I've even been on one flight where a crew was dead-heading back to their hub after ending their shift in a destination airport. We may never really know, but it seems easy enough to make a guess.
#16October 27, 2009
Luckily the Feds have REVOKED the licenses of BOTH clowns. Neither one of them have ANY business being in command of a commercial aircraft....and NO ONE should defend them. Inattention/arguing/sleeping and now working on airline schedules....what's the next excuse, "Sex in the Cockpit". I was born at night, NOT last night you idiots!
#15October 27, 2009
I agree. As a pilot, I would NEVER take my headset off. One never knows when an emergency contact with a controller might concern your airplane. As the flight attendant says at the the door, I would say to the pilots. BuhBye.
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