Missed Landing

Pilots' Laptop Use Violated Policy

Bathroom breaks, chatting were a distraction.

The pilots of Northwest Flight 188, who missed their landing mark by more than 100 miles and failed to respond to air-traffic controllers last week, said they were distracted by a multitude of factors, including a bathroom break, a flight attendant who brought their food, and their laptops. For a full hour, the pilots failed to notice multiple attempts by ground dispatchers to reestablish communication. "[T]he pilots' statements highlight how a combination of seemingly mundane human factors can combine to create major distractions and mental lapses by cockpit crews," says The Wall Street Journal. The pilots clued in to the fact that they had overshot their destination only after a flight attendant on board asked about their scheduled landing time. Opening laptops in midair is a violation of Northwest's company policy, though laptop use is not against federal safety rules. Though uncommon, some pilots say that crews sometimes use laptops in good weather or on long-distance international flights.