The incident took place aboard an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737-800 en route from Khartoum, Sudan to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, CNN reports. According to a report by aviation news site Aviation Herald, the flight’s two pilots fell asleep at the controls.
When the plane was supposed to start its descent towards Addis Ababa airport, the air traffic control service was unable to contact the crew despite several attempts to contact them. The plane then overshot the runway.
Pilots suspended for investigation
The plane was flying on autopilot at an altitude of more than 11,000 meters. When he finally overshot the originally planned route, an alarm sounded, waking up both pilots.
Subsequently, the aircraft began its maneuvers to begin its descent. After 25 minutes, the Ethiopian Airlines plane finally landed safely on the tarmac of the arrival airport. On Twitter, Alex Mancherasan aviation specialist, saw the plane’s trajectory over Addis Ababa.
“We have received a report indicating that Ethiopian flight number ET343 en route from Khartoum to Addis Ababa temporarily lost communication with Addis Ababa Air Traffic Control on August 15, 2022,” Ethiopian Airlines wrote in a statement.
The company also specifies that the crew in question has been suspended pending the results of an investigation.
Pilot fatigue noted
If this incident ended well, it highlights the issue of pilot fatigue. In fact, Alex Macheras expressed on Twitter his shock at the “deeply troubling incident,” which he said could be the result of driver exhaustion.
“Pilot fatigue is nothing new and remains one of the most significant threats to aviation safety, internationally,” he tweeted.
Source: BFM TV
