Here's their statement:
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NTSB ADVISORY
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National Transportation Safety Board
Washington, DC 20594
October 22, 2009
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NTSB INVESTIGATING FLIGHT THAT OVERFLEW INTENDED MINNEAPOLIS AIRPORT
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The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating an
incident where an Airbus A320 overflew the Minneapolis-St Paul
International/Wold-Chamberlain Airport (MSP).
On Wednesday, October 21, 2009, at 5:56 pm mountain daylight time,
an Airbus A320, N03274, operating as Northwest Airlines (NWA) flight
188, became a NORDO (no radio communications) flight at 37,000 feet.
The flight was operating as a Part 121 flight from San Diego
International Airport, San Diego, California (SAN) to MSP with 147
passengers and unknown number of crew.
At 7:58 pm central daylight time (CDT), the aircraft flew over the
destination airport and continued northeast for approximately 150
miles. The MSP center controller reestablished communications with
the crew at 8:14 pm and reportedly stated that the crew had become
distracted and had overflown MSP, and requested to return to MSP.
According to the Federal Administration (FAA) the crew was
interviewed by the FBI and airport police. The crew stated they
were in a heated discussion over airline policy and they lost
situational awareness. The Safety Board is scheduling an interview
with the crew.
The cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR) have
been secured and are being sent to the NTSB laboratory in
Washington, DC.
David Lawrence, the Investigator-in-Charge, is leading the team of 3
in investigating the incident.
Parties to the investigation are the FAA and Northwest Airlines.
on October 23, 2009 6:33 PM | Reply
This is a very serious situation. I look forward to finding out what is on the cockpit recorder.
on October 24, 2009 4:43 AM | Reply
What happened to the guard frequency attempts?
121.5 switched off too?
on October 24, 2009 8:26 AM | Reply
Given that the airlines ruthlessly cut costs after 9/11, and continue to do so, some kind of incident like this was inevitable. Pilots need to be treated with respect. If you put a dog through the average pilots roster you would be prosecuted for animal cruelty. The Government needs to come down hard on the airlines and force them to issue decent rosters and contracts to all airline pilots.
on October 24, 2009 8:27 AM | Reply
Given that the airlines ruthlessly cut costs after 9/11, and continue to do so, some kind of incident like this was inevitable. Pilots need to be treated with respect. If you put a dog through the average pilots roster you would be prosecuted for animal cruelty. The Government needs to come down hard on the airlines and force them to issue decent rosters and contracts to all airline pilots.
on October 24, 2009 4:28 PM | Reply
Kieran the NTSB hasn't confirmed your story, just said that the incident is under investigation, and relayed what the pilot told the controller when communications were reestablished. There IS a big difference.
That would be like the NTSB confirming an alien's existence because they said someone claims to have seen it.
on October 26, 2009 11:41 AM | Reply
Hi Mike,
fair point - what I meant to say, but failed, was that it was confirming my story that there was more to the whole thing than the alleged sleeping that was then being reported.
on October 27, 2009 7:33 PM | Reply
Considering the real reluctance by today's airlines, to disclose the full truth on any incident or accident, do you really expect to know what actually happened on NWA Flt. 188 ? The US airlines are always hiding the facts on the safety of their airplanes and their crews. Until the FAA takes a strong stance on safety and related issues, and begins to function like the FAA was designed too, incidences like these, will continue to marginalize the airline idustry ..