FAA Releases Overflown Jet Transcripts

Plane was out of contact with ground for 77 minutes

Air traffic controllers asked the Northwest Airlines pilots who overflew Minneapolis repeatedly about what happened on the plane, according to transcripts released Friday by the Federal Aviation Administration.
     
The Oct. 21 flight, which took off at San Diego's Lindbergh Field, was out of contact for 77 minutes before controllers re-established contact. the pilots told them right away that they had been distracted, but didn't give details.
     
After almost 90 seconds of conversation about the route they should take to Minneapolis, the controllers said, "I just have to verify that the cockpit is secure."
     
"It is secure; we got distracted," one of the pilots responded.

According to the transcript the pilot then said that they never heard a call from the ground.
     
A different controller took over and, after five more minutes of directions about routes and altitudes, asked, "Do you have time to give a brief explanation on what happened?"
     
"Cockpit distractions -- that's all I can say," was the response from Northwest Flight 188.
     
About 12 minutes after contact had been re-established, the same controller asked, "Is there any way you can elaborate on the distraction?"
     
The pilot said that they were dealing with some company issues and "that's all all I can tell you right now at this time," according to the transcript.
     
Air traffic controllers ultimately had the pilots perform several turns to verify that they were in control of the plane. It landed safely in Minneapolis and was met at the gate by police.
     
The transcripts also show controllers checking that the flight had enough fuel. The pilot responded that they had about two hours' worth of fuel on board and that it wasn't a concern. The plane flew about 150 miles past it's destination.
     
The pilots have told the National Transportation Safety Board that they were discussing their company's complicated new crew-scheduling program over their laptop computers as their plane flew past Minneapolis by 150 miles. Northwest was bought by Delta Air Lines last year and the company has been working to integrate its computer systems.
   

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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