Oops. We overshot Minneapolis - by 150 miles
 

Two Northwest pilots who say they were reviewing company policy on their laptops, overshot the Minneapolis airport by 150 miles. WTF?

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/27/us...e.html?_r=1&em

Maybe their airbrakes failed.;)

Maybe they were on a treadmill.

:D

They were apparently asleep. Thats what the original report said anyway.

I also read they were "having a heated argument" at the time. 150 miles doesn't take very long at airspeeds.

on their laptops and chatting. yes, they should lose their license.

That's a very good point. If the jet is going 600 mph, it will cover that distance in just 15 minutes. It's like missing an exit on the highway. Why they didn't hear the radio calls is questionable though.

They hadn't changed to the correct frequency range, i.e. they weren't getting any radio calls.

I suppose it's questionable and answerable.

If I'd read the article instead of basing my comment on my poor memory of a radio newscast, I'd know that.

Is "reviewing company policies" the new euphemism for "looking at pr0n?

(which is much easier these days now the stews aren't allowed onto the flight deck during the flight)

No matter what they were doing, isn't that distracted driving?

Reports I saw said they were out of touch for an hour and a quarter. Air traffic control tried to contact them several times. :eyebrow:

I believe they are both cellar regulars.

:) that was good.

I wonder what other pilots do when the plane is on autopilot? I assume its just a matter of not messing up.