Sleeping Pilots For Air India Overshot Airport by 359 Miles

[Omaha Steve]

Source: The Journal File With Dave DuBrow

An Air India flight soared past its Mumbai destination on June 4 as its pilots allegedly dozed off in the cockpit, The Times of India reported Thursday.

The napping pilots flew 359 miles past the airport and were still at cruising altitude when nervous air traffic controllers woke then up.

The flight which was on autopilot flying toward Mumbai, had about 100 passengers on board.

"The plane took off from Dubai at 1:35 a.m. Indian Standard Times and then from Jaipur at 7 a.m. After operating an overnight flight, fatigue levels peak, and so the pilots dozed off after taking off from Jaipur," an unidentified source told The Times of India.


Read more: http://www.davedubrow.net/2008/06/sleeping-pilots-for-air-india-overshot-airport-by-359-miles.html

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This and Fox are the only two carrying the story so far.

[BrklynLib at work]

1. oops.

[Demeter]

3. Double Oops!

Maybe they could hire a spare pilot, just for emergencies?

[TheDebbieDee]

21. At least they weren't drunk, too!

[bananas]

2. LOL - Video news report on the Times of India website

News video: http://broadband.indiatimes.com/videoshow/3166334.cms
Main news article: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-3165569,flstry-1.cms

It's also been picked up by AFP and others: http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hKOU7xnzkQjcYZ4oaznkirWnVlxA

[Blue_Tires]

4. didn't the pilots on that korean jet fall asleep?

that one the soviets shot down?

[Kolesar]

11. I don't think so

I read Sy Hersh's book "The Target is Destroyed" decades ago.

[slackmaster]

5. Autopilot?

[skoalyman]

8. lol another one that came to mind was the first chevy chase vacation movie

were they fall asleep at the wheel.

[awoke_in_2003]

12. If they would have taken along

Kareem Abdul Jabbar they wouldn't need no stinking autopilot.

[regnaD kciN]

18. As long as he didn't order the fish...

;-)

[Doctor_J]

6. pssh. That's barely a 1/2-hr nap

what's the problem ;-)

[Adsos Letter]

7. wow...talk about missing an exit......

[Baby Snooks]

9. At least the plane landed safely....

Flying has never been as safe as people have always assumed and the reality is your life is in the hands of two men, women pilots and co-pilots are rare, who often believe "auto-pilot time" is "naptime" or "playtime" and anyone who doesn't understand the latter is not a member of the Mile High Club. Doing a pilot or co-pilot in the john is fun. Until you wonder about who is in another john and then wonder who is flying the plane.

Those who used to fly in Mexico a lot often watched in horror as the pilot and co-pilot they shared a couple of drinks with in the bar boarded the same plane. And are flying it. Maybe the shock worked both ways and it sobered up the pilot and co-pilot as well.

And in this case, you have to wonder about the air traffic controllers. This plane was way off-course. And they didn't notice earlier?

That in turn makes you wonder about the air traffic controllers on 9/11.

Maybe it wasn't a conspiracy but merely air traffic controllers who simply weren't paying attention.

I no longer fly. This is added to the reasons why.

[damntexdem]

16. What do you mean 'not safe'? It was safe enough for these pilots to sleep right through it!

Why, I bet that plane flew just like a dream. ;-)

[Art_from_Ark]

22. So all the air traffic controllers for all four planes

were sleeping while all those planes were going off course? :crazy:

[LiberalFighter]

10. Will they charge the passengers extra for it?

[Cronopio]

13. Time to install electric shock devices in pilot seats ...

... or better yet, not put sleep-deprived pilots behind the yoke.

Being a typical corporation, I expect Air India to go for the first option.

[windoe]

14. Yikes I can't imagine waking up and realizing you are flying a jumbo jet.....

has to be one of the worst ohshit moments out there.

[damntexdem]

17. I suppose that might depend on whether or not you were flying one when you went to sleep.

And besides, these pilots apparently woke up and found that they WEREN'T flying the plane.

[Catch22Dem]

20. HAHAHAHA

My favorite post of the day! Hell, of the week!

[damntexdem]

15. Hey, these planes fly fast! And they were still within 400 miles!

Passengers should be willing to walk back at least that far.

And what was wrong with that autopilot -- was it autonapping?

;-)

[Zachstar]

19. They did a dumbass job programming the autopilot then.

When the autopilot reaches the end of its course it circles. It does not let itself go on where one can fly right into unfriendly territory.

[pfitz59]

23. Yep...

Autopilot normally programmed to Initial Entry Point at expected Instrument Approach, then set to enter standard holding at assigend altitude until disenagged.