Pilots Who Slept Through Landing Suspended

Regional Airline Sacked Two Men Who Overshot Their Destination By 15 Miles

(AP)  Two pilots for Hawaii's Go airlines who slept through their flight's landing procedure were suspended for the careless and reckless operation of an aircraft, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

The pilots, who have been fired by Go, completed their suspensions on Sept. 9, FAA spokesman Ian Gregor said Tuesday. He did not know whether they are flying again with a different carrier.

Captain Scott Oltman, 54, who was also cited for failing to maintain radio communications, had his license suspended for 60 days. First Officer Dillon Shepley, 24, was suspended for 45 days.

Gregor said no action was taken against Go because it did nothing wrong and provided the pilots with a 15-hour break before their shift, nearly double what the FAA requires.

The National Transportation Safety Board had determined the two pilots fell asleep on the Feb. 13 flight from Honolulu to Hilo.

Oltman was later diagnosed with a severe obstructive sleep apnea. It causes people to stop breathing repeatedly, preventing a restful night of sleep.

However, it was still unclear how both pilots fell asleep on the brief midmorning flight, which was carrying 40 passengers.

No problems were found after examining the aircraft's pressurization system and carbon monoxide levels.

The pilots failed to respond to nearly a dozen calls from air traffic controllers over a span of 17 minutes.

In recordings obtained by The Associated Press, the controller is heard repeatedly trying to contact the pilots and talks to the pilot of another Go flight in hopes of reaching Flight 1002.

"I'm worried he might be in an emergency situation," the controller says.

Finally, about 44 minutes into what is usually a 45-minute flight, the controller was able to establish radio contact. By that time, the plane had passed the airport at Hilo by 15 miles, and the controller ordered the flight crew to return.

The pilots were able to reverse course and landed safely at Hilo International Airport.

Go is an inter-island carrier run by Phoenix-based Mesa Air Group Inc. It declined to comment on the suspensions.

[runningralph]

I have zoned out a few times while driving due to working long hours, family problems and traffic snarls. Fatigue can cause horrible lapses of judgement. I caused a wreck and for couldn''t remember how it happened. All I could remember was being very tired. Luckily no one was injured but me.

[u-r-right]

I knew a pilot once who gave me some of the best weed I ever had. He''s flying commercial jets now. That''s a comfy feeling each time I fly, knowing that it just might be him or someone like him.

[roy_bean-2009]

What is more likely: Two pilots fell so deeply asleep for 17 minutes on a short island hop flight that even the radio couldn''t wake them up and the airlines only suspended them for 60 days? Or, there was a cabin air malfunction and the airlines is covering it up by blaming the pilots and paid them off to not complain because it was cheaper than the fines they would have received?

[cncrndctzn]

Scary. Our lives are so often in the hands of people with major problems that affect their performance. From these pilots to our current president....

[erasmus81]

I read something once where it said that pilots are so tired that they actually go into these micro sleeps and there eyes are actually still open.

[erasmus81]

"Geez! I''''ve really got to quit reading these comments. I used to be blissfully unaware of how utterly stupid most of the general public really is!"
Posted by klewt at 06:19 PM : Sep 24, 2008

Yeah,it''s pretty bad, ain''t it?

[rudy654-2009]

Something had to be very wrong, I don''t care what they say. I don''t think they just took a little nap, sleep apnea or not.

[tmittelstaed]

Well you know, all them bong hits can put a guy to sleep pretty quick!!!

[payasyougo]

"Pilots Who Slept Through Landing Suspended"
----
That must be a great airline. I can tell you from personal experience that most airline''s landings wake me up with a jolt.

[mainedoggie]

"Oltman was later diagnosed with a severe obstructive sleep apnea. It causes people to stop breathing repeatedly, preventing a restful night of sleep. "

Are you freakin kidding me!??? JEEEEEZ, how in the world did this dude get his license in the first place? And what is with the slap on the wrist 45-60 day license suspension? These thugs should have their licenses revoked for good!

Stunning really isn''t it! ??

[stn_sage]

WOW! It must be easier to fly those big jets than I thought! If a guy can sleep through the landing and not crash, that speaks a little bit about the quality of the aircraft---that it can perform so well with minimal pilot intervention!

Hey, folks! I''''m kidding around here just a bit!

[stn_sage]

WOW! It must be easier to fly those big jet than I thought! If a guy can sleep through the landing and not crash, that speaks a little bit about the quality of the aircraft---that it can perform so well with minimal pilot intervention!

Hey, folks! I''m kidding around here just a bit!

[c-mo6]

These guys can land a 400,000-pound Aircraft IN THEIR SLEEP, and all they can think of doing with them is FIRE THEM???
I would give them a RAISE! How many pilots do you know who are capable of such an incredible feat?


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Posted by TheVicar1 at 04:53 PM : Sep 24, 2008
+ report abuse
Did you even read the article or just the headline? They missed the airport by 15 miles this could have been a traggic event.

[seafang]

Gunfighter51; it''s called a Category III landing; and some commercial planes can actually do it; and probably some airports are also equipped to do it; but so far as I know, nobody is allowed to do it legally.

[txgrouch2006]

Reading the headline, I thought they slept while the plane was landing, that would be impressive.

Good thing for the auto pilot!
Posted by Gunfighter51 at 03:37 PM : Sep 24, 2008

I think the writer who came up with that headline was ON AUTOPILOT.

Do you think HE''LL be fired for OVERSHOOTING THE RUNWAY???

[seafang]

So someone could please explain why these deadheads are not already in Jail and stripped of their pilot''s licences ?

[ocasanas]

Ladies & Gentlemen, thank you for flying "Go Airlines", now we are going to turn the lights off and sleep for a while. Please, refrain yourself from making any noises and be quiet as we fly over our destination.

[Torilin]

Boing should install remote cockpit incase this kind of BS happens they can have remote operator pilots take control through satelite link.

[klewt]

Vicar -- Did you read the article? They didn''t land the airplane in their sleep. They overshot the airport by 15 minutes, then woke up and turned around. Geez! I''ve really got to quit reading these comments. I used to be blissfully unaware of how utterly stupid most of the general public really is!

[u-r-right]

This further confirms my theory that modern day, commercial pilots are just glorified bus drivers.