Jetstar pilots 'forgot to lower wheels' due to mobile phone

[openseat]

This is rather disturbing news, a litany of failures and non-communication between captain and first officer. A wonder it didn't end up worse.

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

​

And Jetstar's response:

"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.​

Ummm, doesn't sound like much change when the pilots had disregarded the checklist in the first place.

Read more: ​

Jetstar pilots 'forgot to lower wheels' due to mobile phone

 

[mannej]

This is an old thread.

 

[anat0l]

Took them a long time to complete this investigation!

Quite stupid, really. Not sure who has more to answer - the two pilots flying, or JQ (i.e. training and systems). Either way, someone deserves at least a good, hard, kick up the backside so hard that they can taste the toe of the boot in the back of their throat for this.

Pure stupidity...

 

[yohy?!]

mobile phones being used in the coughpit - just another hole in the swiss cheese waiting to line up...

 

[Foreigner]

Jetstar coughpit chaos, reports The SMH. More like Jetstar coughpit cough-up.

 

[russ]

This would never happen with a Qantas pilot!

 

[anat0l]

This would never happen with a Qantas pilot!

I don't care if the pilot is from Burkina Faso - it shouldn't happen for any pilot on any airline! Period!

 

[TonyHancock]

This would never happen with a Qantas pilot!

LOL. Welcome back russ.

 

[straitman]

From my perspective the mobile phone is irrelevant to the story :!:

What is more more important is that they, and possibly their procedures let 'a' (as in any) distraction have a serious impact upon the operation and safety of their aircraft.

 

[amaroo]

For the people who believe "that won't happen with an Australian trained pilot" or a "QF pilot" or a "whatever" - are detached from reality.

Humans make mistakes & therefore, everyone is capable of making them.

 

[whatmeworry]

However it has been seen with LCC, mistakes made by overworked and poorly trained staff are more likely, thus further enhancing Jetstar's nickname as the DeathStar.

 

[seanpodge]

Garuda to Bali doesn't look like such a punt now, I guess.

 

[amaroo]

However it has been seen with LCC, mistakes made by overworked and poorly trained staff are more likely, thus further enhancing Jetstar's nickname as the DeathStar.

I agree with you.

I only get the willies when people say "Aussie pilots wouldn't do that" by the way there are many J* pilots that use to be Ansett pilots & probably QF......& no doubt there are many Aussie pilots working around the world in all types of airlines.

Like any occupation they are mobile and work for more than 1 company.

 

[kalboy]

Way off topic, but the media report on news.com.au has file footage of the tail of a Jetstar aircraft. It definately looks like a Boeing 717. Do or did Jetstar ever fly these. I thought only QantasLink. ?

 

[mannej]

The 717 was the original aircraft for JQ.

As for The QF pilots, it did happen on a 767 not too long ago!

 

[straitman]

Very slightly OT but very few experienced pilots can ever say they have not forgotten something in the checklist at some point and most honest ones will have forgotten the wheels at some point. (I have) That is why there are backup systems and why checklists and training has evolved to where it is today.

 

[Simo]

Why would there mobile phone be on mid flight?

 

[Flashback]

Why would there mobile pone be on mid flight?

I believe this article will answer most questions: Mobile phone alerts distract Jetstar coughpit - Hardware - Technology - News - iTnews.com.au

Still sounds a bit fishy to me. If TXT msg's came in, were they really important that he had to look at them RIGHT AWAY? I think not. Sounds like there's more to the story.

Especially as "by the time the captain was interviewed as part of this investigation, he had erased the messages from his phone,"

 

[oz_mark]

For the people who believe "that won't happen with an Australian trained pilot" or a "QF pilot" or a "whatever" - are detached from reality.

Humans make mistakes & therefore, everyone is capable of making them.

The 717 was the original aircraft for JQ.

As for The QF pilots, it did happen on a 767 not too long ago!

While mistakes do happen, and the system is designed to identify and correct them, I think that complacency is the main issue in these cases. It's easy to become complacent, but the effects could be deadly.

 

[SeatBackForward]

Why would there mobile phone be on mid flight?

The article I read suggested he had forgotten to turn it off, and as they approached for landing (presumably once the signals were within reach) the phone started beeping constantly with new messages. The pilot was then too busy trying to unlock his phone to turn it off..

So see, they have a valid point, mobile phones *do cause* interference with the planes systems.........