EAGAN, Minn. (AP) -- Two pilots at the controls of a
Northwest Airlines flight when it landed at the wrong airport have
been suspended from flying pending an investigation, an airline
spokesman said Monday.
Northwest spokesman Kurt Ebenhoch said the two pilots "have
been held from service" until the review is complete. No other
details were released.
The flight carrying 117 passengers to Rapid City, S.D.,
veered off course Saturday and landed at nearby Ellsworth Air Force
Base.
The plane remained on the ground for more than three hours
as the pilots told Air Force security officers what went wrong, and
a new crew was dispatched to continue the flight to Rapid City.
Air Force Lt. Christine Millette said the pilots reported
that they were in contact with Rapid City controllers on their
approach when they descended into a cloud. When the plane came out
of the cloud, the first runway the pilots saw was the one at
Ellsworth.
Millette said the two runways are about 7 miles apart and
parallel to one another.