Buzz
Believe it or not! A pilot on a flight from Cairns to Redcliffe, north of Brisbane, Australia, fell asleep for 40 minutes and flew past the airport for over 110 km before waking up startled. The small plane, with no passengers on board, and the flight crew consisting of only one person.The incident occurred last July but was only recently revealed by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB). According to the report, the experienced pilot was flying a Cessna 208B - a single-engine utility aircraft, and when flying near the Sunshine Coast, he attempted to contact air traffic control but received no response.The control station below requested an RFDS pilot flying nearby to wake up a dozing pilot by flying close and tapping the wing of the Cessna, triggering the airborne collision alert, but unsuccessfully.
It wasn't until the Cessna aircraft deviated over 110 km off course that the pilot finally woke up and reestablished contact with air traffic control. Upon waking, the pilot was disoriented, unsure of how far the plane had flown. The aircraft was then safely landed at Gold Coast Airport.
A similar incident involved a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan.The ATSB determined that the pilot's incapacitation may have been due to fatigue from disrupted sleep patterns over a prolonged period as well as a condition known as 'mild hypoxia.' This resulted from the pilot's failure to use supplemental oxygen systems appropriately when flying at high altitudes. Pilots must continuously use supplemental oxygen when the aircraft lacks pressurized cabin above 10,000 feet (3,084 meters).In the aforementioned case, the pilot initiated a climb from 10,000 feet to 11,000 feet when approaching Redcliffe due to restricted visibility caused by thick, icy clouds. Flying at 11,000 feet without proper use of supplemental oxygen led to mild hypoxia in the pilot. 'This could make pilots more fatigued and lead them to fall asleep,' stated the ATSB.However, this is not the first instance of a pilot falling asleep and allowing the aircraft to overshoot its destination, as a similar incident occurred in Australia in 2019, where a flight overshot its landing point by 78 km.Do Pilots Sleeping While Flying Rare? Not Really.
In fact, this occurrence is far from rare; rather, it's quite common. According to a 2013 survey by the British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA), over half of pilots admitted to nodding off while at the controls of an aircraft. 56% confessed to dozing off, with 29% waking up to find their co-pilot also asleep. This survey was conducted following reports of both pilots on an Airbus passenger aircraft being asleep while the plane was in autopilot mode.
Throughout the history of commercial aviation, there have been numerous airplane accidents related to pilot fatigue due to lack of sleep. One of the most notorious accidents attributed to fatigue is the crash of Colgan Air (Continental Connection) Flight 3407 on February 12, 2009. While preparing to land at Buffalo Niagara International Airport, New York, the Bombardier Dash-8 Q400 turboprop aircraft carrying 45 passengers and 4 crew members suddenly stalled and plummeted into a house below, resulting in the loss of all 49 individuals on board and 1 person on the ground.
The NTSB investigation concluded that both the captain and first officer were fatigued at the time of the accident. Neither reacted appropriately to warnings in the cockpit as the aircraft gradually slowed down and faced a stall risk. The captain responded by pitching the aircraft nose up, further slowing its speed. Prior to the flight, both pilots had to travel long distances and sleep in the crew lounge instead of a hotel room.
While aviation accidents remain relatively rare, when they occur, statistics show that 80% are attributed to human error, with pilot fatigue accounting for 15 - 20% of fatal accidents. Fatigue leads to slower reaction times, diminished concentration, and impaired decision-making abilities for pilots.
