Plane misses descent as pilots reportedly fell asleep during the flight

Aviation Herald reports that both pilots are suspected of falling asleep and missing their landing while flying from Sudan to Ethiopia on Monday.

The incident occurred aboard an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737-800 flying from Khartoum to Addis Ababa. The pilots reportedly dozed off as the aircraft passed its descent point, according to the report.

According to data collected by the website, the plane was cruising at 37,000 feet on autopilot when it failed to begin its descent towards Addis Ababa Bole International Airport on August 15.

Air traffic control reportedly attempted to contact the crew several times but was unsuccessful. The alarm went off only after the aircraft overshot the runway and continued along its flight path.

The plane eventually started its descent and landed safely about 25 minutes later.

ADS-B data reveals the aircraft flew over the runway before beginning its descent and repositioning for a second approach.

Ethiopian Airlines issued a statement on Friday stating, "We have received a report indicating that Ethiopian flight ET343, traveling from Khartoum to Addis Ababa, temporarily lost communication with Addis Ababa Air Traffic Control on August 15, 2022."

The statement continued, "The flight safely landed after communication was re-established. The crew members involved have been removed from service pending further investigation."

"Appropriate corrective measures will be implemented based on the investigation’s findings. Safety remains our top priority," the statement concluded.

‘Extremely troubling’

Aviation expert Alex Macheras took to Twitter to voice his concern over the 'extremely troubling incident,' which he believes may have been caused by pilot fatigue.

He tweeted on Thursday, 'Pilot exhaustion is not a new issue, and it remains one of the greatest threats to aviation safety globally.'

This report follows earlier warnings from pilots at Southwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines, who alerted airline management about the growing issue of pilot fatigue and its potential risks to safety.

In a letter to airline executives in April, the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (SWAPA) stated, 'Fatigue, both immediate and accumulated, has become the top safety concern at Southwest Airlines.'

The letter explains that the surge in air travel demand as the industry recovers from the Covid-19 pandemic, combined with the disruption caused by severe weather, are key factors driving the rise in pilot fatigue.

In May, Italian newspaper Repubblica reported that an ITA pilot was dismissed after allegedly 'falling asleep' during a flight between New York and Rome.

The co-pilot, who was reportedly on an 'authorized rest' at the time, caused the Airbus A330 to lose communication with air traffic control for ten minutes, according to the report.