A plane in Indonesia strayed off its course after both pilots of the aircraft fell asleep for about 28 minute, as per a report released by the National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT),
An investigation into the incident will be launched by the Indonesia Transport Ministry on the incident that took place on January 25.
According to the KNKT preliminary report, both the pilot and the co-pilot of the Batik Air BTK6723 fell asleep during a flight from Kendari in Southeast Sulawesi province to Indonesian capital Jakarta. However, none of the 153 passengers and four flight attendants on board the plane were injured during the flight, and the aircraft did not suffer any damage either.
The flight later landed successfully in Jakarta after two hours and 35 minutes.
According to the KNKT report, the aircraft was scheduled to go from Jakarta to Kenderi, and then return. During the flight preparation in Jakarta on January 25, the co-pilot had notified his pilot that he had not had "proper rest". After the plane cruised at an altitude of 36,000 feet, the pilot asked the co-pilot to take rest, and he slept for "about 30 minutes" inside the cockpit. The co-pilot (also known as the second-in-command pilot) woke up before the plane began descending to Kenderi.
Both the pilots ate “instant noodle cups in the cockpit”, during transit.
After the BTK6723 aircraft departed from Kenderi, and reached a cruising altitude, the pilot (also known as pilot-in-command) sought permission to sleep from the co-pilot, which he was granted.
However, a few seconds later, the pilot also slept off and the co-pilot took over as the ‘pilot monitoring (PM)’.
The pilot, however, woke up sometime later and asked if the co-pilot wanted to take some rest. Upon the co-pilot's decline, the pilot continued to sleep.
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