Criminal Defense

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- The first officer of the Northwest Airlines jet that missed its destination by 150 miles says he and the captain were not sleeping or arguing in the cockpit but he wouldn't explain their lapse in response and the detour.

"It was not a serious event, from a safety issue," pilot Richard Cole said late Friday in front of his Salem, Ore., home. "I would tell you more, but I've already told you way too much."

Air traffic controllers and pilots had tried for more than an hour Wednesday night to contact the Minneapolis-bound flight. Officials on the ground alerted National Guard jets to prepare to chase the airliner, though none of the military planes left the runway.

The jet with 144 passengers aboard was being closely monitored by senior White House officials, White House spokesman Nick Shapiro told The Associated Press on Saturday. He didn't say if President Barack Obama was informed.

Many aviation safety experts and pilots say the most likely explanation is that the pilots fell asleep along their route from San Diego. NTSB spokesman Keith Holloway said fatigue and cockpit distraction are factors that will be looked into.

"We were not asleep; we were not having an argument; we were not having a fight," Cole said, but would not discuss why it took so long for him and the flight's captain, Timothy B. Cheney, of Gig Harbor, Wash., to respond to radio calls.

"I can tell you that airplanes lose contact with the ground people all the time. It happens. Sometimes they get together right away; sometimes it takes awhile before one or the other notices that they are not in contact."

The FAA said Friday letters had been sent informing the pilots they are being investigated by the agency and it is possible their pilot's licenses! could b e suspended or revoked.

Investigators were in the process Saturday of scheduling interviews with the pilots, Holloway said, and audio from the cockpit voice recorder was downloaded at NTSB headquarters on Friday.

But they may not glean much from it. While new recorders retain as much as two hours of cockpit conversation and other noise, the older model aboard Northwest's Flight 188 includes just the last 30 minutes - only the very end of the flight after the pilots realized their error over Wisconsin.

The NTSB recommended a decade ago that airlines be required to have two-hour cockpit voice recorders. The standard has been 15- to 30-minute recorders.

Last year, the Federal Aviation Administration issued a rule requiring airplanes and helicopters seating 10 or more people to have the 2-hour audio recordings, but gave the industry time to comply. Aircraft made after March 2010 must come equipped with longer recorders, though many manufacturers have already been including them. Existing planes have until March 2012 to comply.

The FAA rule doesn't require cockpit video recordings, which the NTSB had also recommended. Pilots opposed the video recordings.

Northwest, which was acquired last year by Delta Air Lines, is also investigating the incident. Cheney and Cole have been suspended. Messages left at Cheney's home were not returned.

The pilots passed breathalyzer tests and were apologetic after the flight, according to a police report released Friday. Cheney and Cole had just started their work week and were coming off a 19-hour layover, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported Saturday, citing an internal Northwest document it said was described to the newspaper.

The police report said that the crew indicated they had been having a heated discussion about airline policy.

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AP Writers Joan Lowy in Washington and Amy Forliti in Minneapolis and AP Airlines Writers Joshua Freed in Minneapolis, Harry R. Weber in Atlanta and Dave Koenig in Dallas contributed to this report. Cain reported from Salem, Ore.

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On the Net:

FlightAware.com tracking of Northwest Flight 188: http://bit.ly/2QV9hX

National Transportation Safety Board http://www.ntsb.gov

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- The first officer of the Northwest Airlines jet that missed its destination by 150 miles says there was no action in the cockpit, neither he nor the captain had fallen comatose and the passengers were never in any danger.

But in an interview with The Associated Press two days after he and a colleague blew past their destination as air cartage controlled approved aimlessly to ability them, pilot Richard Cole would not say just what it was that led to them to forget to land Flight 188.

"It was not a austere event, from a assurance issue," Cole said in advanced of his Salem, Ore., home. "I would acquaint you more, but I've already told you way too much."

Air cartage controllers and pilots approved for added than an hour Wednesday night to acquaintance Cole and the flight's captain, Timothy B. Cheney, of Gig Harbor, Wash., using radio, cell phone and data messages. On the ground, concerned officials alerted National Guard jets to prepare to hunt the aeroplane from two locations, though none of the aggressive planes larboard the runway.

Cole would not discuss why it took so continued for the pilots to respond to radio calls, "but I can acquaint you that airplanes lose acquaintance with the arena people all the time. It happens. Sometimes they get together appropriate away; sometimes it takes awhile afore one or the added notices that they are not in contact."

A badge address appear Friday said the pilots passed breathalyzer tests and were atoning after the flight. The address additionally said that the crew indicated they had been having a heated altercation about airline policy.

But aerodynamics assurance experts and added pilots were acutely skeptical they could accept become so distracted by shop talk that they forgot to land an airplane a! ccustome d 144 passengers. The best likely possibility, they said, is that the pilots simply fell comatose somewhere along their avenue from San Diego.

"It certainly is a believable explanation," said Bill Voss, president of the Flight Safety Foundation in Alexandria, Va.

Unfortunately, the cockpit articulation recorder may not acquaint the tale.

New recorders retain as abundant as two hours of cockpit chat and added noise, but the earlier archetypal aboard Northwest's Flight 188 includes just the last 30 minutes - alone the actual end of Wednesday night's flight after the pilots realized their error over Wisconsin and were heading back to Minneapolis.

Cheney and Cole accept been abeyant and are to be interviewed by National Transportation Safety Board investigators next week. The airline, acquired last year by Delta Air Lines, is additionally investigating. Messages larboard at Cheney's home were not returned.

FAA agent Tony Molinaro said in general, an unsafe action created by a pilot could lead to the suspension of the person's pilot authorization and possibly a civilian penalty.

With worries about terrorists still high, even after acquaintance was re-established, air cartage controllers asked the crew to prove who they were by executing turns.

"Controllers accept a acute faculty of vigilance back we're not able to talk to an aircraft. That's the reality post-9/11," said Doug Church, a agent for the National Air Traffic Controllers Association.

NTSB agent Keith Holloway said fatigue and cockpit distraction will be looked into. The plane's flight recorders were brought to the board's Washington headquarters.

The pilots were finally alerted to their situation back a flight attendant called on an intercom from the cabin.

Voss said a appropriate concern was t! hat the many assurance checks built into the aerodynamics system to anticipate incidents like this one - or to actual them quickly - allegedly were ineffective until the actual end. Not alone couldn't air cartage controllers and added pilots raise the Northwest pilots for an hour, but the airline's dispatcher should accept been trying to ability them as well. The three flight attendants onboard should accept questioned why there were no affairs for landing being made. Brightly lit cockpit displays should accept warned the pilots it was time to land.

"It's apparently article you would say never would happen if this hadn't just happened," Voss said.

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AP Airlines Writers Joshua Freed in Minneapolis and Harry R. Weber in Atlanta and AP Writers Joan Lowy in Washington, Amy Forliti in Minneapolis and Dave Koenig in Dallas contributed to this report. Cain reported from Salem, Ore.