Pilots Dozing Off in Midair Are Under Investigation by Indonesian Authorities

An investigation has been opened by Indonesia’s transport ministry into reports that two pilots from Batik Air slept off on a recent flight. The National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) claims that navigational errors occurred as a result of the pilot and co-pilot dozing off for 28 minutes.

aboard January 25, aboard aircraft BTK6723, from Kendari to Jakarta, an incident took place. The airplane, with 153 passengers and 4 flight attendants, landed successfully despite the pilots’ synchronized slumber.

Based on preliminary assessments, it appears that the pilot serving as the second-in-command did not get enough sleep the night before the flight, having only slept for approximately thirty minutes. Both pilots passed out during the flight, causing the aircraft to deviate from its intended course.

While more research is conducted, the flight crews of BTK6723 have been grounded by the authorities. To avoid future occurrences of this kind of incident, the ministry of transportation intends to examine Batik Air’s and other operators’ night flight operations and fatigue management.

As the inquiry develops, keep checking back for updates.