by Julia Schrenkler
Member since:
August 31, 2005

Open discussion: Northwest jet overshoots Minneapolis-St. Paul airport

October 22, 2009 08:33 PM EDT
views: 75 | comments: 34

From MPR News feature Northwest jet overshoots Minneapolis-St. Paul airport:

"A Northwest Airlines plane bound for the Twin Cities overflew Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport by 150 miles Wednesday night, while the pilots engaged in a heated discussion over airline policy, according to federal officials."

What do you make of this? If you had been a passenger, what would you expect from the airline? What is your opinion of the airline industry?

 

This is an open opinion-based discussion, so you're welcome to link to your related Gather articles or other online resources. Your comments & articles may be quoted on American Public Media or Minnesota Public Radio web sites.

________________
Julia Schrenkler
Interactive Producer
American Public Media
Minnesota Public Radio
Objects in Mirror

Comments: 34

Linda A. Oct 22, 2009, 8:45pm EDT
I think they both fell asleep at the same time, and didn't know it.
Julia Schrenkler Oct 22, 2009, 9:05pm EDT
That's possible - a comment on News Cut said that even autopilot doesn't set up a descent plan.
Annmarie B. Oct 22, 2009, 8:47pm EDT
What is it
Julia Schrenkler Oct 22, 2009, 9:07pm EDT
Hi Annmarie, are you talking about the airplane flight that overshot it's destination, or?
Annmarie B. Oct 22, 2009, 9:08pm EDT
yes
Julia Schrenkler Oct 22, 2009, 9:14pm EDT
Well, the plane turned around, navigated back to Minneapolis/St. Paul, and landed after the crew realized that they didn't land where they were supposed to. If you want to catch an interview with a passenger we're posting updates on the story.
Annmarie B. Oct 22, 2009, 9:17pm EDT
OMG. I think I don't want to fly for awhile
Julia Schrenkler Oct 22, 2009, 9:26pm EDT
Do you generally trust the airlines?
Annmarie B. Oct 22, 2009, 9:27pm EDT
When my brother in law was the pilot
Julia Schrenkler Oct 22, 2009, 9:33pm EDT
Ah, having a family member in the cockpit could either be a relief (as it seems in your case) or perhaps more of a worry. ;-)
Julia Schrenkler Oct 26, 2009, 9:44am EDT
Annmarie B, you were quoted on Objects in Mirror.
Annmarie B. Oct 26, 2009, 10:38am EDT
I don't know how that got there but it is the truth. Thanks for letting me know.
Annmarie B. Oct 22, 2009, 9:34pm EDT
a big relief. Plus my Dad was a pilot when he was younger. He passed away now.
Priscilla (wishing I was in Costa Rica) ~. Oct 22, 2009, 11:24pm EDT
This is worrisome~
Julia Schrenkler Oct 23, 2009, 10:32am EDT
On Morning Edition, MPR's Bob Collins predicted these pilots are out of a job at the minimum.
Susan Budig Oct 23, 2009, 12:19am EDT
I didn't hear anything of this. Wow. What would I expect from the airline if this had happened to me? I'm not sure, but this signifies shocking negligence on the part of the pilots. What if the fuel dropped too low? What if they'd run into dangerous weather that they otherwise would have not encountered? There's so many "what ifs."

Of course, these things didn't happen, but it's scary to think about and I'm an eager flyer. For those who fly reluctantly, this would probably put them on the train home.
Julia Schrenkler Oct 23, 2009, 10:33am EDT
That's a good point, Susan. I don't sweat flying because of the odds, but I imagine people with even a glimmer of fear over flying... whew.
Julia Schrenkler Oct 26, 2009, 9:44am EDT
Susan, you were quoted on Objects in Mirror.
Kerry Dexter Oct 23, 2009, 5:27am EDT
I wouldn't want a descent plan in auto pilot!
Julia Schrenkler Oct 23, 2009, 10:34am EDT
You and me both!
Kerry Dexter Oct 23, 2009, 5:55am EDT
up until this last year or so, I've always flown quite a bit each year -- dozens of times. I'd still be doing it had not budget cuts wiped out travel for most of my projects. now from the perspective flying just a few times a year, I see a bit how the whole flight experience would be disconcerting to many and stories like this would make it even more so. as Susan says, they'd likely choose the next train home.

would I? no. I continued to fly soon after 9/11, and all through that fall and winter. not being defiant, just choosing to go on with my life that way. seeing Hartsfield/Jackson airport almost deserted many times that winter is one of my lasting memories, though.
Julia Schrenkler Oct 26, 2009, 9:44am EDT
Kerry, you were quoted on Objects in Mirror.
They were obviously having a heated discussion of Jon and Kate. :)

Airline pilots often have brutal work schedules. I think that's the underlying problem. Even if they're awake they're sometimes waaay to tired.
Diana Raabe Oct 23, 2009, 1:31pm EDT
"They were obviously having a heated discussion of Jon and Kate."

(or the balloon boy!)

I wonder how much the financial climate has affected the work schedules. Let's hope the workloads lighten up as the economy improves.
Julia Schrenkler Oct 26, 2009, 9:41am EDT
Nippy, I'm glad you brought that up. According to News Cut, the pilots of Flight 188 had plenty of chance to rest.
Interesting.

17 hours is probably enough. Most people have 24 hours between work shifts although people on rotating shifts don't always get it. My experience with rotating shifts was that it could be mind numbing.
Julia Schrenkler Oct 26, 2009, 4:42pm EDT
You mean in shift work? Or airline work?

Rotating shifts can be done, but speaking as someone who used to do them it does become numbing after a bit. Or at least a little ... wearing. Then again, I'm getting older.
brojer n. Oct 23, 2009, 11:18am EDT
The Buffalo crash was a primarily caused by fatigue and an inexperienced flight crew. The UK and European airlines have less stringent schedules for their pilots, so fatigue is less of a problem. In this country pilots have a more grueling schedule than do truck drivers. In this incident Delta/NW policies may have put a Delta pilot with a NW pilot and perhaps an argument ensued. More likely however they fell asleep and may have tried to cover it with saying they were arguing. In any case company policies should be looked at..
Julia Schrenkler Oct 26, 2009, 9:43am EDT
brojer n. it seems as though we'll get more details today - I hope you'll check back in on this discussion!
Diana Raabe Oct 23, 2009, 1:28pm EDT
Thanks for the link. The only news I'd heard about this was that the pilots had fallen asleep!

I have to admit that I generally do trust the airlines. The successful, enjoyable flights far outnumber the problem ones. Plus, I love visiting overseas and pretty much don't do boats/ships.
Julia Schrenkler Oct 26, 2009, 9:43am EDT
Diana, you were quoted on Objects in Mirror.
Kingston Kaprinski Oct 23, 2009, 2:48pm EDT
Like the alleged UFO-shaped balloon without the boy onboard, the Northwest flight was without a working and awake crew in the cockpit. As of 9 a.m. this morning there was some media speculation that the crew was actually sleeping--not engaged in any 'heated discussions.' Gee, all they needed to do then was to bring along a standard wind-up low-tech alarm clock to go off before the final approach to the Twin Cities. Hope the pilots get some counselling and best of luck in the next performance reviews.
Julia Schrenkler Oct 26, 2009, 4:40pm EDT
Well, the story is that Pilots who overshot MSP airport were using laptops:

"Two Northwest Airlines pilots told federal investigators they ignored radio calls from air traffic controllers Wednesday, while they used their laptop computers to review the company's new scheduling procedures."


The full news release is available on News Cut.
Peter Joseph Swanson Oct 26, 2009, 4:45pm EDT
oh dear

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