SEA08IA080
HISTORY OF FLIGHT
At 0916 on February 13, 2008, a Bombardier CL-600-2B19, N651BR, operated by Mesa Airlines as Go! Flight 1002 departed Honolulu International Airport (HNL), Honolulu, Hawaii, on a regularly scheduled domestic, passenger flight using the call sign Air Shuttle Flight 1002 (ASH1002). About halfway through the flight, the pilots of ASH1002 stopped responding to air traffic control communications. While out of radio communications, the flight passed over its destination airport, General Lyman Field (ITO), Hilo, Hawaii, at cruise altitude. After traveling 26 nautical miles beyond ITO on a constant heading, the flight crew resumed radio communications with air traffic control and returned to land at ITO. The airplane was not damaged and the captain, first officer, flight attendant, and 40 passengers were not injured during the event. The flight was conducted in accordance with 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 121. An instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was on file and activated during the flight. The first officer was assigned the role of the flying pilot.
The flight crew's communications with air traffic control during departure from Honolulu had been routine. About 0930, the captain had contacted Honolulu Control Facility (HCF) and informed the facility that ASH1002 was climbing through 11,700 feet to its cruise altitude, Flight Level 210. HCF acknowledged this transmission and cleared the flight to proceed direct to the PARIS intersection, near the big island of Hawaii. The captain acknowledged the clearance but the flight did not change course. About 0933, HCF again cleared ASH1002 direct to the PARIS intersection. The captain acknowledged the instruction a second time, and the flight's track turned toward PARIS. Both pilots later stated that soon after they received this clearance they inadvertently fell asleep in the cockpit. The captain stated, "Working as hard as we had, we tend to relax." He further stated, "We had gotten back on schedule, it was comfortable in cockpit, the pressure was behind us. The warm Hawaiian sun was blaring in as we went eastbound. I just kind of closed my eyes for a minute, enjoying the sunshine, and dozed off." The first officer said he entered a sleep-like state from which he could "hear what was going on, but could not comprehend or make it click."
At 0940, as the flight was crossing the island of Maui. HCF instructed ASH1002 to change radio frequencies, but the flight crew did not respond. For the next 18 minutes, HCF attempted to contact ASH1002, but received no replies. About 0951, ASH1002 reached the PARIS intersection and turned southeast toward the Hilo VOR. The HCF controller who was handling the flight asked another HCF controller to contact ASH1002 on a different radio frequency. The other controller made the attempt, but received no reply. At 0955, ASH1002 crossed the Hilo VOR. It continued southeast at Flight Level 210, crossed the northeast coast of Hawaii and flew out over the open ocean. HCF asked another Go! flight crew to try to contact ASH1002 on a company radio frequency. The flight crew made the attempt, but received no reply. In addition, a Continental Airlines flight attempted to contact ASH1002 on an emergency frequency, but was also unsuccessful.
About this time, the first officer awoke. Realizing the airplane was off course, he noted that 4,500 pounds of fuel remained. He estimated that this amount would last an hour and a half. Next, the first officer woke the captain and told him air traffic control was attempting to contact the flight. About 0958, the captain contacted HCF, stating, "[unintelligible] HCF ten zero two." HCF asked the captain if the flight crew was experiencing an emergency situation, and the captain replied, "No, we must have missed a handoff or missed a call or something." HCF then issued vectors for ASH1002 to return to ITO, and the flight crew complied. The flight arrived at 1015.
As ASH1002 arrived at ITO, air traffic controllers directed the captain to contact them by telephone. After the airplane was parked at the gate, the captain instructed the first officer to prepare the airplane for its next flight while he disembarked and called the FAA. The captain told FAA personnel by telephone that ASH1002 had lost radio communications because the flight crew had selected an incorrect radio frequency. FAA personnel informed the captain that they intended to report the incident to Mesa Airlines.
After his telephone conversation with the FAA, the captain returned to the airplane and had a discussion with the first officer about whether they should operate the next flight. The pilots agreed that it would be safe for them to do so because they were feeling very alert as a result of the incident. According to company records, they departed ITO for HNL on the incident airplane at 1028, using the call sign ASH1044. During the flight to HNL, the pilots discussed the incident further and they decided to remove themselves from duty upon arrival. ASH1044 arrived at HNL at 1118.
After parking at the gate, the captain arranged for a reserve crew to operate the next flight he had been assigned to fly with the first officer. Next, the captain called the airline’s scheduling office to inform the company that both he and the first officer were removing themselves from duty for the rest of the day. The captain's telephone call was transferred to a chief pilot who requested an explanation for the flight crew's decision. The captain declined to provide an explanation on the telephone. A few hours later, however, he submitted a written report to Mesa Airlines explaining that he and the first officer had fallen asleep on ASH1002 during the cruise phase of flight.
http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief2.asp?ev_id=20080222X00229&ntsbno=SEA08IA080&akey=1
HISTORY OF FLIGHT
At 0916 on February 13, 2008, a Bombardier CL-600-2B19, N651BR, operated by Mesa Airlines as Go! Flight 1002 departed Honolulu International Airport (HNL), Honolulu, Hawaii, on a regularly scheduled domestic, passenger flight using the call sign Air Shuttle Flight 1002 (ASH1002). About halfway through the flight, the pilots of ASH1002 stopped responding to air traffic control communications. While out of radio communications, the flight passed over its destination airport, General Lyman Field (ITO), Hilo, Hawaii, at cruise altitude. After traveling 26 nautical miles beyond ITO on a constant heading, the flight crew resumed radio communications with air traffic control and returned to land at ITO. The airplane was not damaged and the captain, first officer, flight attendant, and 40 passengers were not injured during the event. The flight was conducted in accordance with 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 121. An instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was on file and activated during the flight. The first officer was assigned the role of the flying pilot.
The flight crew's communications with air traffic control during departure from Honolulu had been routine. About 0930, the captain had contacted Honolulu Control Facility (HCF) and informed the facility that ASH1002 was climbing through 11,700 feet to its cruise altitude, Flight Level 210. HCF acknowledged this transmission and cleared the flight to proceed direct to the PARIS intersection, near the big island of Hawaii. The captain acknowledged the clearance but the flight did not change course. About 0933, HCF again cleared ASH1002 direct to the PARIS intersection. The captain acknowledged the instruction a second time, and the flight's track turned toward PARIS. Both pilots later stated that soon after they received this clearance they inadvertently fell asleep in the cockpit. The captain stated, "Working as hard as we had, we tend to relax." He further stated, "We had gotten back on schedule, it was comfortable in cockpit, the pressure was behind us. The warm Hawaiian sun was blaring in as we went eastbound. I just kind of closed my eyes for a minute, enjoying the sunshine, and dozed off." The first officer said he entered a sleep-like state from which he could "hear what was going on, but could not comprehend or make it click."
At 0940, as the flight was crossing the island of Maui. HCF instructed ASH1002 to change radio frequencies, but the flight crew did not respond. For the next 18 minutes, HCF attempted to contact ASH1002, but received no replies. About 0951, ASH1002 reached the PARIS intersection and turned southeast toward the Hilo VOR. The HCF controller who was handling the flight asked another HCF controller to contact ASH1002 on a different radio frequency. The other controller made the attempt, but received no reply. At 0955, ASH1002 crossed the Hilo VOR. It continued southeast at Flight Level 210, crossed the northeast coast of Hawaii and flew out over the open ocean. HCF asked another Go! flight crew to try to contact ASH1002 on a company radio frequency. The flight crew made the attempt, but received no reply. In addition, a Continental Airlines flight attempted to contact ASH1002 on an emergency frequency, but was also unsuccessful.
About this time, the first officer awoke. Realizing the airplane was off course, he noted that 4,500 pounds of fuel remained. He estimated that this amount would last an hour and a half. Next, the first officer woke the captain and told him air traffic control was attempting to contact the flight. About 0958, the captain contacted HCF, stating, "[unintelligible] HCF ten zero two." HCF asked the captain if the flight crew was experiencing an emergency situation, and the captain replied, "No, we must have missed a handoff or missed a call or something." HCF then issued vectors for ASH1002 to return to ITO, and the flight crew complied. The flight arrived at 1015.
As ASH1002 arrived at ITO, air traffic controllers directed the captain to contact them by telephone. After the airplane was parked at the gate, the captain instructed the first officer to prepare the airplane for its next flight while he disembarked and called the FAA. The captain told FAA personnel by telephone that ASH1002 had lost radio communications because the flight crew had selected an incorrect radio frequency. FAA personnel informed the captain that they intended to report the incident to Mesa Airlines.
After his telephone conversation with the FAA, the captain returned to the airplane and had a discussion with the first officer about whether they should operate the next flight. The pilots agreed that it would be safe for them to do so because they were feeling very alert as a result of the incident. According to company records, they departed ITO for HNL on the incident airplane at 1028, using the call sign ASH1044. During the flight to HNL, the pilots discussed the incident further and they decided to remove themselves from duty upon arrival. ASH1044 arrived at HNL at 1118.
After parking at the gate, the captain arranged for a reserve crew to operate the next flight he had been assigned to fly with the first officer. Next, the captain called the airline’s scheduling office to inform the company that both he and the first officer were removing themselves from duty for the rest of the day. The captain's telephone call was transferred to a chief pilot who requested an explanation for the flight crew's decision. The captain declined to provide an explanation on the telephone. A few hours later, however, he submitted a written report to Mesa Airlines explaining that he and the first officer had fallen asleep on ASH1002 during the cruise phase of flight.
http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief2.asp?ev_id=20080222X00229&ntsbno=SEA08IA080&akey=1