The National Transportation Safety Board in the U.S. has just revealed that the two Northwest Airlines pilots who managed to overshoot an airport by 150 miles last week were both using their laptop computers when they should have been concentrating on flying the aircraft. The pair had initially been accused of falling asleep in the cockpit but vehemently denied this and insisted that they were instead having a very stimulating discussion on airline policy and as such had simply lost track of time.

Use of laptops whilst flying aircraft goes strictly against Northwest Airlines’ policy. The aircraft was out of communication for over an hour and air traffic control was at one point considering scrambling jets to intercept the aircraft which they thought may have been hijacked. The pilots have admitted that they did not manage to answer any calls to the cockpit from air traffic control for the duration of time that the ground staff was desperately trying to get a response.

It is alleged that both pilots were absolutely oblivious to the situation as well as the position of the aircraft which was carrying 147 passengers until a stewardess came into the cockpit to ask if they could confirm the time of arrival at Minneapolis. They were then able to turn the aircraft around and land it safely at the airport.

The National Transportation Safety Board has managed to get to the bottom of the mystery after separate five-hour long interviews with both pilots. Both pilots have been suspended from flying for the time being.