Created Fri 23rd Oct 6:55am PST by

frogchop Level 17, Superdubber (H$1,699,476)

Will the two Northwest Airlines pilots who overshot their destination by 150 miles be fired?

Background: WASHINGTON - Two Northwest Airlines pilots who overshot their destination by 150 miles before turning back should have had numerous warnings as they approached and passed Minneapolis: cockpit displays, controllers trying repeatedly to reach, the city lights twinkling below.

Yet the pilots didn't discover their mistake until a flight attendant in the cabin contacted them by intercom, said a source close to the investigation who wasn't authorized to talk publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. By that time, the plane was over Eau Claire, Wis., and the pilots had been out of communication with air traffic controllers for over an hour.

The crew told authorities they were distracted during a heated discussion over airline policy, the Federal Aviation Administration said. But federal officials are investigating whether pilot fatigue might be to blame.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091023/ap_on_go_ot/us_northwest_airport_overflown
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So will they be fired, disciplined, or allowed to return to work without discipline after the investigation? The current suspension will not be seen as a form of discipline unless it becomes leave without pay and the period of unpaid suspension exceeds 90 days.

Settlement details:As reported by a major mainstream news source. Question may be settled upon the release of reliable news.

Forecast history %

Both pilots terminated

90%

One pilot terminated, one pilot retained

Both pilots disciplined but retained

One pilot disciplined, one not, both retained

No discipline, both retained

No news by settlement/other

Question suspends in 22 weeks

Activity: H$63,201
Predictions: 133
Comments: 9

Suspend date: Fri 30th Apr 2010 3:59pm PST (22 weeks to go)

Initial likelihoods: Both pilots terminated: 50%, One pilot terminated, one pilot retained : 10%, Both pilots disciplined but retained: 20%, One pilot disciplined, one not, both retained: 5%, No discipline, both retained: 5%, No news by settlement/other: 10%

Action history:

Created Fri 23rd Oct 6:55am PST by

frogchop Level 17, Superdubber (H$1,699,476)

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Suspend date: Fri 30th Apr 2010 3:59pm PST (22 weeks to go) details

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Predictions (133)

3 days ago

frogchop Level 17, Superdubber (H$1,699,476)

predicted No news by settlement/other (H$50 at 1%)

5 days ago

ghostbuster Level 12, Guru (H$36,051)

predicted No news by settlement/other (H$20 at 1%)

5 days ago

ghostbuster Level 12, Guru (H$36,051)

predicted No discipline, both retained (H$4 at 0%)

1 week ago

mungo10 Level 14, Prophet (H$244,835)

predicted Both pilots terminated (H$411 at 89%)

2 weeks ago

john_kahl Level 11, Legend (H$20,792)

predicted Both pilots disciplined but retained (H$200 at 14%)

Comments (9)

excontender Level 13, Psychic (H$51,324)

Too many pilots out there looking for jobs to keep these guys on, I predict they both get axed.

posted 4 weeks ago

oocares Level 13, Psychic (H$56,441)

Both get Fuel Bill to split?

posted 4 weeks ago

sqlman [Admin]

One of the pilots now says they were neither arguing nor sleeping, but he didn't saw what exactly they were doing.

The airline pilots' unions can be very strong; it usually takes of lot for a pilot to be terminated, so my guess is discipline of some sort: demotion, suspension, fine, public apology, forced retraining, loss of seniority/benefits, etc. (Even drunk pilots aren't always fired. And the pilot whose gun accidentally discharged in the cockpit wasn't even fired.) However...if they've lied, and those lies embarrass Delta enough, that would likely be cause (unprofessional conduct).

posted 4 weeks ago

frogchop Level 17, Superdubber (H$1,699,476)

@oocares: Good point. That had to be a mistake that actually cost thousands of dollars in fuel.

posted 3 weeks ago

hfl13

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/US/10/26/airliner.flyby/index.html

posted 3 weeks ago

fingers_of_fury Level 18, Megadubber (H$2,442,107)

They were playing Flight Simulator.

posted 3 weeks ago

hfl13

... and were just crashing in Hongkong. Still looks like a fake reason. They stayed incommunicado far too long.

posted 3 weeks ago

frank2877 Level 11, Legend (H$22,749)

The FAA just pulled their licenses. They can kiss their jobs goodbye.
http://apnews.excite.com/article/20091027/D9BJLVAG1.html

posted 3 weeks ago

sqlman [Admin]

10/27: The US government has revoked the licenses of the two pilots, and Delta has suspended them. They have 10 days to appeal the revocation; if it stands, the pilots would no longer be allowed to fly, so they'd have to be terminated. As I wrote earlier, however, the pilots' unions are pretty strong, so their permanent dismissal isn't a given just yet...

http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE59Q52920091027

posted 3 weeks ago