A recent flight by Batik Air has drawn significant attention after an incident on January 25th, where both pilots fell asleep during the Kendari-Jakarta flight.
For approximately half an hour, the aircraft deviated from its course while the pilots were asleep, carrying 153 passengers and 4 crew members.
Despite the alarming occurrence, the flight concluded without any adverse events, successfully landing in Jakarta after a 2-hour and 35-minute journey. An investigation was initiated immediately following the incident, during which the pilots provided their accounts.
According to the pilots, after reaching cruising altitude from Kendari, the captain requested a rest period, leaving the second pilot in charge. However, 1.5 hours before landing, the co-pilot also fell asleep, leading to a temporary loss of communication with the control center.
The captain woke up 28 minutes after the last communication attempt, corrected the flight path, and responded to the tower, attributing the silence to a communication issue rather than admitting to sleeping.
The truth, however, surfaced soon after. The co-pilot confessed to starting the flight without adequate sleep due to caring for his one-month-old twins, contributing to the inadvertent nap.
