9-3-2024 (JAKARTA) The Indonesian air safety agency has called for enhanced mechanisms to monitor pilot fatigue following an investigation that revealed both pilots of a commercial aircraft had fallen asleep during a flight. According to a preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT), a pilot and co-pilot were simultaneously asleep for approximately 28 minutes during a Batik Air flight from South East Sulawesi to Jakarta on January 25.
Indonesia, being a vast archipelago, heavily relies on air transport to connect its thousands of islands. However, the country has a poor air safety record. The report, which was uploaded to the agency’s website in late February and seen by AFP on Friday, highlights the need for measures to address this issue.
The investigation found that one of the pilots had not obtained sufficient rest the night before the flight. While the incident resulted in navigation errors, the Airbus A320’s 153 passengers and four flight attendants were unharmed during the two-hour-and-35-minute flight.
Approximately 30 minutes after takeoff, the captain requested permission from the co-pilot to take a short rest, which was granted. However, the co-pilot also unintentionally fell asleep while assuming command of the aircraft, as stated in the report. The report explained that the co-pilot had been assisting his wife, who was taking care of their one-month-old twins, while at home.
Several minutes after the co-pilot’s last recorded transmission, the area control center in Jakarta attempted to establish contact with the aircraft but received no response. It was only after 28 minutes that the pilot woke up and discovered his co-pilot asleep and the aircraft deviating from the correct flight path. The pilot promptly woke his colleague, responded to the calls from Jakarta, and corrected the flight path. The plane landed safely following the incident.
While the pilots involved were not identified, the report revealed that they were both Indonesian and aged 32 and 28. The KNKT has urged Batik Air to develop comprehensive procedures for conducting thorough and regular cockpit checks, as well as ensuring that pilots and cabin crew are well-rested before their flights.
