NW Flight Missed destination by...

[Tai-2]

150 Miles:
http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/northwest-airlines-pilots-miss-airport-150-miles/story?id=8892976

A live discussion here: http://wcco.com/jasoncam

This here just amazed me.

[specter177]

After being out radio contact for an hour and a half, I'm surprised they didn't send a fighter to intercept it.

[expat]

After being out radio contact for an hour and a half, I'm surprised they didn't send a fighter to intercept it.

My thoughts also which is why I think there is A LOT of media hype in this story.

Matt

[Leigh]

After being out radio contact for an hour and a half, I'm surprised they didn't send a fighter to intercept it.

My thoughts also which is why I think there is A LOT of media hype in this story.

Matt

i think you may be right. you would think after 1:30 hors they wouls send a F-16 or a F-15 or something to see whats going on i dont want to say it but the attacks didnt learn them anything?

[Tai-2]

Here is an update of the situation I found.
http://wcco.com/travel/flight.overshoots.airport.2.1266320.html
incase link does not work
http://wcco.com/travel/flight.overshoot ... 66320.html

Apparently the recorder could only hold 30 minutes, the FBI and National Guard were ready with jets about to prepare for any action.

[-Crossfire-]

They said they were having a heated argument about airline policy.

[tcco94]

The Pilot says he was not napping nor fighting.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091024/ap_ ... _overflown

[Bubblehead]

I'm trying to use all sorts of scenarios and find imaginative excuses how in the heck those NWA pilots manage to overshoot their destination. Can anyone list some reasonable possibilities> Further, for over an hour, not one, in the plane or on the ground had any inclination that the aircraft has just flown by without stopping? Someone on board (stewardesses and passengers) with their cell phones ever tried to contact someone? As one contributor asked, how long does it before the Air Force are able to scramble fighters -an hour? Where's the FAA in on this? If no one can up with a logical reason, can this haen again?

[DaveSims]

Ok folks, lets work this stuff out.

If you look up the flight on flightaware, you will see they were only 30 minutes late.  You must remember this aircraft is traveling at 450-500 mph, so 150 miles only takes 15-20 minutes.  From what I've read, the Air Force was standing by to scramble while ATC was trying to sort out what was going on.  Aircraft losing contact with ATC happens frequently, just listen to Center from time to time.  Granted, I'm surprised it was allowed to go on this long, but you are looking at about 30 minutes from loss of contact to reacquistion.  I do suspect there will be an opening or two at NW soon though.

[Tai-2]

[quote]Ok folks, lets work this stuff out.

If you look up the flight on flightaware, you will see they were only 30 minutes late.

[DaveSims]

New article today, the NTSB is reporting the pilots admitted to being on their laptop computers.  The first officer was showing the captain how the airlines scheduling system works, at least according to reports.  I still can't believe they missed all the radio calls, plus not noticing they were overflying their destination.  Being asleep would have been a better excuse.

[Bubblehead]

I can see if the flight was transitting at 37K feet whereby there may be time to do some extra curricular activity. But the aircraft was in a process of landing so shouldn't the cockpit crew be on extra alert in prep for landing and have all their attention focused accordingly? Thirty minutes is a long time. It took the Al-Qaeda people less time to cause massive destruction in New York. For the Air Force, they should review their response time.

[DaveSims]

I can see if the flight was transitting at 37K feet whereby there may be time to do some extra curricular activity. But the aircraft was in a process of landing so shouldn't the cockpit crew be on extra alert in prep for landing and have all their attention focused accordingly? Thirty minutes is a long time. It took the Al-Qaeda people less time to cause massive destruction in New York. For the Air Force, they should review their response time.

I would suspect the Air Force (or Air National Guard in this case) was waiting for the aircraft to make a threatening move.  As it was, it was heading towards no where.  Believe me, if an F-15 or F-16 squadron had to scramble, they would have been in missile range in just minutes.

[patchz]

[quote]New article today, the NTSB is reporting the pilots admitted to being on their laptop computers.

[tcco94]

Well if I was flying all you guys and I feel asleep 150 miles past the airport then told the FAA I wasnt sleeping or fighting I guess ill be off the hook then.