This Will Make You Laugh Nervously

[ezzra]

As appeared in the Australian "The Age" newspaper,

Confused Jetstar pilots forgot to lower the wheels and had to abort a landing in Singapore just 150 metres above the ground, after the captain became distracted by his mobile phone, an investigation has found.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau report on the May 27, 2010 incident on Flight JQ57, from Darwin to Singapore, reconstructed a scene of cockpit chaos.

The captain, of more than 13,000 hours flying experience, was distracted by incoming text messages on his phone, while the first officer, of more than 4000 hours experience, was probably fatigued, the report said.

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The pair had lost their "situational awareness", leading to poor decision-making and hampered communications, investigators found.

The problems aboard JQ57 began when the co-pilot, the first officer, switched off the autopilot on the 220-seat Airbus A320 to make preparations to land.

Somewhere between 2500 feet and 2000 feet, the captain's mobile phone started beeping with incoming text messages, and the captain twice did not respond to the co-pilot's requests.

The co-pilot looked over and saw the captain "preoccupied with his mobile phone", investigators said. The captain told investigators he was trying to unlock the phone to turn it off, after having forgotten to do so before take-off.

At 1000 feet, the co-pilot scanned the instruments and felt "something was not quite right" but could not spot what it was.

At this stage the captain still did not realise the landing gear had not been lowered, and neither pilot went through their landing checklist.

At 720 feet, a cockpit alert flashed and sounded to warn that the wheels still hadn't been lowered.

At 650 feet, the captain moved the undercarriage lever "instinctively" but then a "too low" ground-warning alarm sounded as the plane sunk through 500 feet, indicating the landing gear was not fully extended and locked.

The co-pilot was confused by the captain's action in lowering the wheels, as he was getting ready to do quite the opposite — to abort the landing and re-ascend to the skies, investigators said.

Neither spoke to each other about their intentions.

At 392 feet, the crew aborted the landing and powered up the thrust.

At this time the pilots had lost track of their altitude, thinking they were much higher, at about 800 feet.

A further piloting error occurred, with the wrong flap setting during the ascent.

When the mistakes were recreated in a simulator, investigators determined there were two minutes of descent, from 2800 feet to 1000 feet, where the pilots failed to take any necessary actions, including putting the wheels down.

Jetstar said it had incorporated the the lessons learned from the incident in its pilot training.

"Pilot distraction meant all the landing checklist items weren't completed before the aircraft passed an altitude of 500 feet, at which point a go-around was required under our operating procedures," said Jetstar's Chief Pilot, Captain Mark Rindfleish.

"The combination of factors on JQ57 has provided new learnings and the opportunity to add to these safeguards, which we take very seriously.”

Changes introduced included completing landing checklists before 1000 feet and a reminder to pilots to ensure their mobile phones are switched off before take-off, he said.

[Jdietz]

Another good reason to just let the autopilot do the job altogether.

A proposal was made a while ago to change the cockpit crew to just a pilot and a dog. The pilot's job would be feeding the dog, and the dog's job would be biting the pilot if he tried to touch any controls.

[mca]

I have to say when driving if I see a car or motorcycle ahead with their mobile in their hand I give them a veeeeery wide berth.

I had some guy on a motorcycle behind me at a u-turn a while back. As I made the turn with him following he withdrew a mobile phone from his inside pocket and started looking at it mid-bloody turn causing him to nearly weave into the side of my car. Cultural sensitivities or whatever happy horseshit be damned. He got a long blast of the horn and a few choice Thai invectives thrown at him out of the window

[chrisinth]

They make such a song and dance about passengers not being able to use their mobiles and yet it appears it is OK for the flight crew to use? Sort of double standards here or what? Not that I don't disagree, because I don't.

I know the piot said he was trying to unlock his phone to turn it off; stinks of BS. Why would he be trying to turn it off on descent? His co-pilot stitched him up by saying he was replying to a text message.

[pepi2005]

This just confirms what I heard a couple of times already: that the requirement for passengers to turn off their mobile phones 'and all other electronic devices' is utter crap - and that most pilots usually leave their mobile phones on during the complete flight, even though sitting right in front of the electronic boards.

This regulation, just like the one that forces passengers to buy drinks within the overpriced checkin zone and to even leave expensive alcohol bottles behind for the delightment of the airport staff, is just there to create an atmosphere of fear and discipline in order to make the public more devote and 'manageable' by the authorities.

[Kananga]

This just confirms what I heard a couple of times already: that the requirement for passengers to turn off their mobile phones 'and all other electronic devices' is utter crap - and that most pilots usually leave their mobile phones on during the complete flight, even though sitting right in front of the electronic boards.

This regulation, just like the one that forces passengers to buy drinks within the overpriced checkin zone and to even leave expensive alcohol bottles behind for the delightment of the airport staff, is just there to create an atmosphere of fear and discipline in order to make the public more devote and 'manageable' by the authorities.

Of course. Has anyone heard of a single plane crashing because of a mobile phone? If there was even the slightest hint of danger no electronic devices would be allowed on board.

[StreetCowboy]

This just confirms what I heard a couple of times already: that the requirement for passengers to turn off their mobile phones 'and all other electronic devices' is utter crap - and that most pilots usually leave their mobile phones on during the complete flight, even though sitting right in front of the electronic boards.

This regulation, just like the one that forces passengers to buy drinks within the overpriced checkin zone and to even leave expensive alcohol bottles behind for the delightment of the airport staff, is just there to create an atmosphere of fear and discipline in order to make the public more devote and 'manageable' by the authorities.

Of course. Has anyone heard of a single plane crashing because of a mobile phone? If there was even the slightest hint of danger no electronic devices would be allowed on board.

I don't think I want to be on the first.

I assume the main reason is to avoid having people shouting into their phones throughout the flight, saying things like

"I'm on an aeroplane... no, aeroplane. Its a very bad line. I'll call you back. Is that you? Yes, I'm on the AEROPLANE". I reckon people should have to turn them off in restaurants, in case they interfere with the cooking equipment as well...

[Kananga]

This just confirms what I heard a couple of times already: that the requirement for passengers to turn off their mobile phones 'and all other electronic devices' is utter crap - and that most pilots usually leave their mobile phones on during the complete flight, even though sitting right in front of the electronic boards.

This regulation, just like the one that forces passengers to buy drinks within the overpriced checkin zone and to even leave expensive alcohol bottles behind for the delightment of the airport staff, is just there to create an atmosphere of fear and discipline in order to make the public more devote and 'manageable' by the authorities.

Of course. Has anyone heard of a single plane crashing because of a mobile phone? If there was even the slightest hint of danger no electronic devices would be allowed on board.

I don't think I want to be on the first.

I assume the main reason is to avoid having people shouting into their phones throughout the flight, saying things like

"I'm on an aeroplane... no, aeroplane. Its a very bad line. I'll call you back. Is that you? Yes, I'm on the AEROPLANE". I reckon people should have to turn them off in restaurants, in case they interfere with the cooking equipment as well...

Phones dont work after take off as there is no reception, we are referring to having all electronic devices (including phones) turned off at take off or landing when it is clear that people disobey this rule on practically every flight yet there has been not one reported incident of leaving them on affecting a plane in any way whatsoever.

[h90]

I have to say when driving if I see a car or motorcycle ahead with their mobile in their hand I give them a veeeeery wide berth.

I had some guy on a motorcycle behind me at a u-turn a while back. As I made the turn with him following he withdrew a mobile phone from his inside pocket and started looking at it mid-bloody turn causing him to nearly weave into the side of my car. Cultural sensitivities or whatever happy horseshit be damned. He got a long blast of the horn and a few choice Thai invectives thrown at him out of the window

driving the motorbike and writing text messages.....It is amazing that they can do it.....I would die in the first 2 minutes.

[Rooo]

Not Thai related.

Closed