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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| 'Distracted' pilots fail to land | 'Distracted' pilots fail to land |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| An inquiry has begun after a US plane heading from San Diego to Minneapolis missed the airport it was meant to land at by 150 miles (240km). | An inquiry has begun after a US plane heading from San Diego to Minneapolis missed the airport it was meant to land at by 150 miles (240km). |
| Contact with the Northwest Airlines plane was lost for an hour as it flew at 37,000ft. | Contact with the Northwest Airlines plane was lost for an hour as it flew at 37,000ft. |
| The crew later told investigators they had become distracted during "heated discussions". | |
| The plane, carrying 147 passengers, landed safely at Minneapolis after contact was finally resumed. | The plane, carrying 147 passengers, landed safely at Minneapolis after contact was finally resumed. |
| A statement released by the National Transportation Safety Board said: "The crew stated they were in a heated discussion over airline policy and lost situational awareness." | A statement released by the National Transportation Safety Board said: "The crew stated they were in a heated discussion over airline policy and lost situational awareness." |
| Board spokesman Keith Holloway told AP news agency that reports that the pilots may have fallen asleep were "speculative". | Board spokesman Keith Holloway told AP news agency that reports that the pilots may have fallen asleep were "speculative". |
| The plane's cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder have been taken from the plane and are being sent to the board's laboratory in Washington, DC. | |
| Concerns | |
| The plane missed its intended stop - Minneapolis-St Paul International/Wold-Chamberlain Airport and continued on for 16 minutes before the airline managed to speak to the pilots. | |
| The Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) contacted the military and two fighter jets were put on alert. | |
| There were initial concerns the plane had been hijacked or had faced other problems and that was why the crew were not responding. | |
| Northwest Airlines merged with Delta Air Lines in 2008. | |
| In a statement, Delta Air Lines said the plane's pilot and co-pilot had been "relieved from active flying". | |
| It said a decision would be made about them once its own internal investigation and one by the FAA and the safety board were over. | |
| Brent Bjorlin, who was on the flight, told the Minnesota Star Tribune newspaper that the passengers had not realised what had happened until they landed and security officials boarded the plane. |