Flight 188 transcripts reveal frustration

WASHINGTON, Nov. 28 (UPI) -- U.S. air traffic controllers became exasperated by attempts to reach the pilots of a jetliner that had overshot its intended destination, transcripts show.

Transcripts released Friday by the Federal Aviation Administration indicate that controllers asked several times for explanations from the pilots of Northwest Airlines Flight 188 as to why they flew past its intended destination in Minneapolis-St. Paul Oct. 21 by 150 miles before turning around. But the pilots gave only vague answers about being distracted, The Star Tribune of Minneapolis reported.

"Northwest 188, do you have time to give a brief explanation of what happened?" asked a Minneapolis controller who was handling airspace over Eau Claire, Wis., when radio contact with the pilots was finally reestablished.

"Just cockpit distractions, that's all I can say," said a crew member.

Minutes later, after giving issuing instructions on landing, the controller asked, "Is there any way you can elaborate on the distraction?"

"We're just dealing with some company issues here, and that's all I can tell you right now at this time," the pilot responded.

The flight's now-suspended crew said they had been using laptop computers to learn how to submit work schedule requests when the incident happened.