Northwest pilot says crew of Flight 188 wasn't sleeping

Distraction or sleeping, i don't see the difference in this case. They were not following procedure and their reckless disregard for the rules could have been a disaster. They should and will lose their jobs.

This is why I completely stopped flying on American carriers, after we had moved to Asia 7 years ago. This story is something I would find normal on Garuda Indonesia or maybe Aeroflot.

I got a bad feeling about these two idiots.
Either they were fighting or snoring-what ever- as a Capt. they pay me to handle things....make the decisions- which this Capt. was not doing. That's the ONLY reason for that 4th stripe- decisions. If you're both tired- understandable- but work it out where ONE of you is working the a/c- while the other catnaps.
The fact that FLIGHT ATTENDANT -was the one who finally shook these 2 clods is very-very damning.
I say fire these 2 very unprofessional/unsafe idiots. There are LOTS of pilots out there-safe and smart- furloughed and looking for work.
In any event the FAA is going to yank their ticket...pretty stupid way to end your career.

NoDoubt wrote:

Distraction or sleeping, i don't see the difference in this case. They were not following procedure and their reckless disregard for the rules could have been a disaster. They should and will lose their jobs.

I would like to add reckless disregard for the safety of their passengers.

All of the above I agree with. Lose those pilots.

Letting "George" do it...

The autopilot is very smart and all but there still needs to be someone current and qualified on the flight deck.

I have to say that flying behind an autopilot at night can bring on drowsiness, but it isn't instantaneous and there is a cure. You switch off the autopilot and fly the airplane.

That's why there are TWO pilots. Just not these two. Unless the FAA finds traces of Radon gas in the cockpit or some extra-terrestrial event...

Geeze what did you think they were going to say, this airline has done nothing but lie the past 10 years. Northworst has been almost as comical as George W and Dick "Boom Boom" Cheney over the better part of 8 years.
They should make a sit-com...flying the sleepy skys!

Okay, I tried to avoid this but...If they weren't sleeping and they weren't doing anything wrong, according to the crew themselves, was there hanky-panky going on? Well...Maybe the whole story ain't out yet.

Whether they were sleeping (which I find difficult to believe that BOTH were sleeping) or having a heated discussion, they were distracted. That means that BOTH were at fault.

LiberalBuster wrote:

Okay, I tried to avoid this but...If they weren't sleeping and they weren't doing anything wrong, according to the crew themselves, was there hanky-panky going on? Well...Maybe the whole story ain't out yet.

I was thinking the same thing, makes you wonder. If they don't want to come clean about what was really going on, the mind is only going to wonder.

LiberalBuster wrote:

Okay, I tried to avoid this but...If they weren't sleeping and they weren't doing anything wrong, according to the crew themselves, was there hanky-panky going on? Well...Maybe the whole story ain't out yet.

Maybe there was some heated discussion, some hanky panky, then they both fell asleep. Explains everything

All the Answers wrote:

Geeze what did you think they were going to say, this airline has done nothing but lie the past 10 years. Northworst has been almost as comical as George W and Dick "Boom Boom" Cheney over the better part of 8 years.

And as bankrupt as Obumma is making this country. Good thing this isn't an airline purchased on behalf of the taxpayers by our socialist prez......if so it would have been laying pieces around Menominee.

...and the black box only runs for a 1/2 hour, why not and hour or two I mean whats the difference really if its just looped. Just seems like they could be missing out on important info...much like it was here.

It is not difficult to look for a "catnap" when flying after 17 hours layover. BUT ONE THING IS A "BEAR SIESTA" AND OTHER THING IS A "CATNAP".. I am a 14,000+hrs
Pilot,(ex International Cargo Flights and ex Learjet Air Charters) and I can tell you that pilots need some rest before going to fly... After the Air France accident in Atlantic Ocean, June 09, I was thinking in BOTH PILOTS SLEEPING IN THE CABIN until the Airbus 330 went into a GIANT THUNDERSTORM, that destroyed the aircraft, killing 228 persons on board.. It is no other explanation for experienced pilots to see a thunderstorm in front of his plane and not make a deviation to avoid entering in that kind of cumulus nimbus cloud cell, so destructive for airplanes.
Today`s aircrafts are very sophisticated to fly, but many computers allow the plane to fly as independent of having or not PILOTS ON BOARD that many pilots prefer to take a nap instead of controlling what the computers are doing.. YOU CAN SEE THAT, AND THIS WAS NOT MY STYLE DURING MY 44 YEARS OF FLYING.. If you are tired, better is go to rest before flying...or driving a car, etc, etc

Northwest is now under suspicion
Of hiding its pilot condition;
With its jet on approach
Only those flying coach
Were the ones in an upright position.

News Short n' Sweet by JFD8
http://twitter.com/JFD8

And none of the other crew members noticed the flight was running a bit long?

Sounds like don't ask .... don't tell.

When the investigation is complete I'm sure it'll come out that they were smokin' a doobie, and simply forgot to land the plane.

I would like to see someone go after this crew for kidnapping, these passengers were essentially held hostage.
If this crew used this situation to draw attention to a particular issue ie allowing nap time etc. they used these passengers against their will to prove their point. One could argue crossing state lines as an added charge since they did in fact do this. There needs to be some accountablity here, every hour of every day passengers are putting themselves at risk on behalf of these disgruntled employees. If you are not held hostage on a tarmack for endless hours your personal belongings are being lost/stolen, you are at their mercy for being on time excuse after excuse. I have yet to meet anyone who works for this company that doesn't hate absolutely everything about their job..Including their customers and they show it every way possible. The fact that these pilots were willing to disregard the passangers so easily should not shock anyone who has flown this horrible airline.

Calm down and go watch Oprah.

The pilots shouldn't have gone to sleep and left it to the flight director to fly the aircraft. Period, end of story. No children, animals or Democrats were injured in this story. We don't need a Senate subcommittee or a citizen watchdog group or special legislation. Just suspend these guys.

If they DID have an other-worldly experience in the cockpit, the FAA will find out and exonerate them. Meanwhile, it's safe to book flights; it's safe to travel behind female pilots; it's not the airlines' fault or anything to do with pilots in general.

These pilots will need new careers as they should for zee-ing out. But ramp down the outrage and clean out your refrigerator.

watch out for those dangerous tubes of toothpaste and violent shampoo bottles, thats what'll kill ya folks..