FAA Opens Investigation on Go! Airlines

[UND_Flyer]

FAA Opens Investigation on Go! Airlines Print E-mail
Written by Stacy Loe - sloe@kgmb9.com
Monday, February 18, 2008 09:26 PM


It was a go! Airlines flight 1002 from Honolulu to Hilo.

Two strange events on that flight prompted the FAA to open an investigation.

It started as a normal flight.

Go! Airlines flight 1002 took off from Honolulu on time at 9:25 a.m. last Wednesday on it's way to Hilo.

But as the plane neared Mauna Kea on the Big Island, at least one passenger on board noticed something was wrong.

"When I noticed we weren't descending I told my wife, she was sitting on the left, I mentioned to her I think something is kind of weird with this flight pattern," said passenger Derrick Lining.

Sources said air traffic controllers tried to contact the pilots for 25 minutes and got no response.

A radar track obtained by KGMB9 shows the plane stayed at 21,000 feet as it flew past the Hilo airport possibly still on autopilot.

Sources confirm the pilots went off track 15 miles out to sea before turning around and finally landing.

"We are investigating whether the pilot and copilot of an interisland go! Airlines flight fell asleep while the plane was in the air between Honolulu and Hilo," said FAA Ian Gregor.

Airline analyst Peter Foreman said it has happened before but never on such a short flight.

"For both pilots to fall asleep at 9 o'clock in the morning that seems pretty strange," said airline analyst Peter Foreman.

While he doesn't know what happened on that flight, he said the circumstances are unusual.

If for some reason, there are communications problems and a pilot can't reach air traffic controllers.

"You are going to query, you are going to get on different frequencies, you are going to try different radios and try everything to re-establish communications," Foreman said.

And he can't explain why a pilot would fly past an airport.

"Even if there was communications failure that jet should have started down for the destination and it didn't. So those pilots have a lot of explaining to do," Foreman said.

http://kgmb9.com/main/content/view/4199/40/

[JEP]

Whoa....That's not good. No communication ??? Wonder no squawk? I am sure the media is leaving something out.

[E_Dawg]

I'm pretty sure the CRJ FMS would just put you in a hold over your last fix if you do absolutely nothing. Hopefully the investigation highlights some of the pathetic rest requirements, but I'm not holding my breath.

[Nick]

While they're being real investigative and all, I'd like to investigate the FAA's rest rules with a team of sleep doctors.

[BobDDuck]

Originally Posted by E_Dawg

I'm pretty sure the CRJ FMS would just put you in a hold over your last fix if you do absolutely nothing. Hopefully the investigation highlights some of the pathetic rest requirements, but I'm not holding my breath.

Nope... The Collins will hit the last fix, get a DISCONTINUITY and track what ever heading it was on when it got the discon.

[Velocipede]

Oops! Too long of duty days too many days in a row. Nighty night!

[Doug Taylor]

Originally Posted by BobDDuck

Nope... The Collins will hit the last fix, get a DISCONTINUITY and track what ever heading it was on when it got the discon.

Pretty much like the mad dog and I think the 76.

The Mad Dog will give you a DISCONTINUITY and a NAV HLD in the FMA.

[Ddub1214]

Both pilots falling asleep at 9 in the morning on a 30 minute flight? It sounds like the media might be a little presumptuous at this point, especially considering go!'s controversial presence in Hawaii. I wonder if they were able to get a hold of the CVR?

[crashmbern]

I've been pretty tired flying in the morning. It can happen to anybody!!

[charlie1017]

It seems like it was a matter of time before this would happen...

http://mesahub.com/wordpress/2007/12...-pilots-video/

Scary indeed!

[Velocipede]

The only way thing are going to change is if the PUBLIC gets educated on CDOs.

[falconvalley]

A relatively new airline flying routes in HI? Pilots possibly asleep at 9am? Sounds like somebody was at McGillicuddy's a little too late!

[Nick]

Originally Posted by falconvalley

A relatively new airline flying routes in HI? Pilots possibly asleep at 9am? Sounds like somebody was at McGillicuddy's a little too late!

Without going out and partying the night before, some of the times I have felt most exausted while flying are in the early morning hours.

I don't know about anyone else but after a reduced rest overnight, the next day the worst time for me is about midway into the first flight of the day. After that I am wide awake for a while.

I wouldn't assume that new flying in Hawaii or possibly falling asleep in the morning means that the crew was at Moose's the night before.

[PCL_128]

Originally Posted by Velocipede

The only way thing are going to change is if the PUBLIC gets educated on CDOs.

Hold up, now! I love my CDOs. As long as you have good work rules for them (and we do), they aren't any more dangerous than any other kind of flying.

[kellwolf]

Originally Posted by PCL_128

Hold up, now! I love my CDOs. As long as you have good work rules for them (and we do), they aren't any more dangerous than any other kind of flying.

Except there are a LOT of airlines that don't have good work rules. Mixing CDOs with a 3 day trip is asking for trouble. I can think of one airline that does that right now.....

[GalaxyIFE]

Originally Posted by falconvalley

A relatively new airline flying routes in HI? Pilots possibly asleep at 9am? Sounds like somebody was at McGillicuddy's a little too late!

Oh Moose's...just a few memories down there. Finish up in time to hit THe Shorebird for breakfast!!!

[JEP]

Originally Posted by GalaxyIFE

Oh Moose's...just a few memories down there. Finish up in time to hit THe Shorebird for breakfast!!!

Good 'ole Shorebird. Every Sunday 2pm....Bikini Show

[falconvalley]

Originally Posted by Nick

Without going out and partying the night before, some of the times I have felt most exausted while flying are in the early morning hours.

I don't know about anyone else but after a reduced rest overnight, the next day the worst time for me is about midway into the first flight of the day. After that I am wide awake for a while.

I wouldn't assume that new flying in Hawaii or possibly falling asleep in the morning means that the crew was at Moose's the night before.

I wouldn't either, but do you think the FAA's first thoughts are gonna be about reduced rest and crew scheduling bending rules? They already know that occurs. They didn't find that as a problem at my airline when two of our pilots spent a little too much time at the hotel bar! Who knows what really happened until the investigation is complete.

[PCL_128]

Originally Posted by kellwolf

Except there are a LOT of airlines that don't have good work rules. Mixing CDOs with a 3 day trip is asking for trouble. I can think of one airline that does that right now.....

Agreed. The focus should be on codifying CDO work rules into the regs rather than simply eliminating CDOs.

[ComplexHiAv8r]

Originally Posted by GalaxyIFE

Oh Moose's...just a few memories down there.

When did Moose's move down to Lewers? It used to be up near UH (back in my day).

[JEP]

Originally Posted by ComplexHiAv8r

When did Moose's move down to Lewers? It used to be up near UH (back in my day).

says it all

[srleslie]

What's a CDO?

[PCL_128]

Originally Posted by srleslie

What's a CDO?

Continuous Duty Overnight. Aka, stand-ups, highspeeds, naps, etc... Basically you fly one leg out to an outstation late at night, spend a few hours in a hotel, and then do the very first flight back to the hub in the morning. Then you get released for the whole day and come back to do it again that night.

[srleslie]

Originally Posted by PCL_128

Continuous Duty Overnight. Aka, stand-ups, highspeeds, naps, etc... Basically you fly one leg out to an outstation late at night, spend a few hours in a hotel, and then do the very first flight back to the hub in the morning. Then you get released for the whole day and come back to do it again that night.

You know it just amazes me that the trucking industry is more regulated than aviation. 11 hours max drive time in a 14 hour duty period, then a mandatory 10 hour break. I got far more rest when I was on the road in a truck than I do now that I'm back in college. I don't see why the FAA can't set similar standards. That video was just plain scary. I do not want to work for an airline that does that one day.

[Cruise]

Originally Posted by PCL_128

Continuous Duty Overnight. Aka, stand-ups, highspeeds, naps, etc... Basically you fly one leg out to an outstation late at night, spend a few hours in a hotel, and then do the very first flight back to the hub in the morning. Then you get released for the whole day and come back to do it again that night.

Or sprawled out across rows 4, 8, and 12!