Aviation Safety Agency Unveils Disturbing Incident: Both Pilots On Commercial Flight Simultaneously Fall Asleep Mid-Air

Aviation Safety Agency Unveils Disturbing Incident: Both Pilots On Commercial Flight Simultaneously Fall Asleep Mid-Air

The Indonesian Air safety agency is urging enhanced mechanisms for monitoring pilot fatigue following an investigation that uncovered a concerning incident involving both pilots of a commercial aircraft who had recently fallen asleep during a flight.

According to a preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT), both the pilot and co-pilot of a Batik Air flight from South East Sulawesi to Jakarta were simultaneously asleep for approximately 28 minutes on January 25. The report, disclosed in late February on the agency’s website, highlighted that one of the pilots had not received sufficient rest the night before the flight.

Despite the incident resulting in a series of navigation errors, the Airbus A320’s 153 passengers and four flight attendants were unharmed during the two-hour-and-35-minute flight, as outlined in the report.

Around 30 minutes after takeoff, the captain requested permission from the co-pilot to take a brief rest, which was granted. However, the co-pilot, who had one-month-old twins and had assisted his wife at home, also inadvertently fell asleep while in command of the aircraft.

Approximately 28 minutes after the last recorded transmission by the co-pilot, air traffic control in Jakarta attempted to contact the aircraft without success. It was only after the pilot woke up and realized the situation that corrective actions were taken. The plane safely landed after the pilot corrected the flight path.

While the investigators did not disclose the pilots’ identities, they mentioned that both were Indonesians aged 32 and 28.

This incident emphasizes the critical need for improved pilot fatigue monitoring mechanisms to ensure the safety of air travel. The agency’s call for better measures aims to prevent such occurrences and safeguard the well-being of both the flight crew and passengers.

For more information join our WhatsApp group by clicking the link here: WhatsApp Group Invite