Washington and Oregon Pilots Suspended for Air Traffic Safety Violations

Hard to believe, but here's a story about two Northwest Airlines pilots, one from Washington State and one from Oregon, who were were working on their personal laptop computers, lost track of time and place, and overshot their Minneapolis destination by 150 miles. The pilots also neglected to touch base with air traffic controllers despite repeated attempts by air traffic controllers in two states to reach the airliner. Northwest's dispatchers also tried eight times to contact the airplane, without response.

The Federal Aviation Administration said yesterday that it had revoked the licenses of the two pilots for, among other things, "operating their aircraft carelessly and recklessly."

About the Author

Tom D'Amore is the founder of D'Amore Law Group and a trial attorney with over 30 years of experience representing injured people and their families across the West Coast, securing more than $325 million in recoveries. He handles cases involving car accidents, trucking accidents, construction injuries, medical malpractice, and sexual abuse. Licensed in Oregon, Washington, and California, Tom is the only NBTA board-certified truck accident attorney in Oregon. He is a national Board of Governors member, past Executive Committee member, and past Budget and Audit Chair of the American Association for Justice, as well as past President of the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association and an Eagle member of the Washington State Association for Justice.