A Batik Air Flight headed on a two-and-a-half-hour flight from Kendari to Jakarta veered off path, when both pilots fell asleep in the cockpit.
The Batik Air Flight was carrying 157 passengers when it veered off path, about an hour and a half after departure.
According to reports by the Washington Post, both pilots fell asleep for around 28 minutes, at 36,000 feet (10,973 meters) in altitude.
An official report issued by Indonesia’s National Transportation Safety Committee did not identify the two pilots, however, the pilot in command was described as a 32-year-old male, and the second in command was described as a 28-year-old male. Both men are Indonesian.
As per the report, both pilots were deemed fit to fly before departing, having passed health checks and returned negative tests for alcohol.
However, 30 minutes after leaving Kendari, the pilot in command asked the deputy for permission to rest, which was granted.
The pilot in command fell asleep and woke just under an hour later.
The pilot in command then asked the second in command whether he wanted to sleep, but the pilot declined.
The pilot in command continued to sleep, while the deputy remained in control of the aircraft.
After initially making contact with Jakarta’s area control center, the second pilot “inadvertently fell asleep.” The report further states that when the control center later attempted to contact the pilots, no response was received.
“Several attempts to contact BTK6723 had been made by the Jakarta ACC including asking other pilots to call the BTK6723,” the report said. “None of the calls were responded to by the BTK6723 pilots.”
Twenty-eight minutes after the last recorded transmission from the second pilot was received by the control center, the first pilot woke up and realised that the aircraft was no longer on the correct flight path.
The pilot steered the flight back on course, and the plane landed at Jakarta, says the report.
Passengers and cabin crew on board the flight were unharmed, and there was no damage to the plane.
As quoted by AFP, Indonesia’s civil aviation director, Maria Kristi Endah Murni says that the transportation Ministry “strongly reprimands” Batik Air over the incident:
“We will carry out an investigation and review of the night flight operation in Indonesia related with Fatigue Risk Management for Batik Air and all flight operators.”
Citing a statement by Batik Air, AFP added that the two pilots had been “temporarily suspended.”
