NTSB Investigates Northwest Airlines Flight That Overflew Destination Airport by 150 Miles

At 17:56 mountain daylight time on Wednesday the Airbus A320, operating as Northwest Airlines flight 188, became a NORDO (no radio communications) flight while at 37,000 fleet. The aircraft was flying from San Diego International Airport to Minneapolis-St Paul, carrying 147 passengers.

The aircraft flew over Minneapolis-St Paul Airport at 19:58 central daylight time and continued to fly north-east for around 150 miles. The Minneapolis-St Paul centre controller re-established communications with the crew at 20:14 and reportedly stated that the crew had become distracted and had overflown the destination airport, and requested to return to Minneapolis-St Paul.

According to the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) the crew have said that they were involved in a "heated discussion over airline policy" and lost situational awareness. The NTSB also plans to interview the crew, and has secured the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder from the aircraft and is sending them to the NTSB laboratory in Washington DC.

The Associated Press reported that Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL), the parent company of Northwest Airlines, has suspended the two pilots from flying while it conducts an internal investigation.

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