Midair Snooze: Indonesian Pilots 'Fall Asleep' For Nearly 30 Minutes With 153 Passengers Onboard
During a recent flight from Southeast Sulawesi in Indonesia to Jakarta, a commercial aircraft pilot and co-pilot nodded off for nearly half an hour on January 25, causing a few navigation errors. However, all 153 passengers and four flight attendants remained unharmed during the over two-hour journey.
Pilot woke up & found co-pilot snoozing mid-flight
According to a preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT), the pilots "nodded off for approximately 28 minutes" during a Batik Air flight.
The area control centre in Jakarta noticed the incident when they attempted to contact the aircraft after the last recorded transmission but received no response.
"The pilot reportedly woke up after 28 minutes and found his co-pilot asleep, and that the aircraft flew on the incorrect path," the report stated. "The pilot immediately woke up his colleague, responded to the Jakarta control centre, and corrected the flight path."
Fortunately, both Indonesian pilots, aged 32 and 28, landed the plane safely after the incident, according to investigators who did not disclose their identities.
Indonesia has troubling air safety record
Indonesia relies heavily on air transport to connect its numerous islands. However, the country has a poor air safety record. According to a report accessed by news agency AFP, one of the pilots had not rested adequately the night before the flight.
About thirty minutes after takeoff, "the captain asked permission from his second-in-command to rest for a while, with the request being granted." However, as per the report, the co-pilot also inadvertently fell asleep while taking over command of the aircraft.
"The second-in-command had one-month twin babies. His wife took care of the babies, and he assisted while at home," the report added.
The Indonesian air safety agency has recommended the implementation of better pilot fatigue monitoring mechanisms to avoid similar incidents in the future.?
The agency, KNKT, has advised Batik Air to establish detailed procedures for conducting proper and regular cockpit checks and ensuring that pilots and cabin crew are well-rested before their flights.
(With inputs from AFP)
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