NW pilots who overflew airport agree to give up licenses
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Two Northwest Airlines pilots who overshot the Minneapolis airport have agreed not to fight the revocations of their licenses. However, authorities said they may be able to fly again.
Under a settlement released by the Federal Aviation Administration, Timothy Cheney and Richard Cole can apply for new licenses Aug. 29. Timothy Cheney of Gig Harbor, Wash., was the captain on that overshot flight; Richard Cole of Salem, Ore., was the first officer
That's more than 10 months after they flew a plane with 144 passengers about 100 miles past their destination before discovering their mistake. Their pilot licenses were revoked by the Federal Aviation Administration in late October.
The pilots failed to respond to numerous radio messages from controllers in Denver and Minneapolis. Cole and Cheney said they both had their laptops out while reviewing instructions on flight crew scheduling.