Pilots were distracted by personal laptops, cockpit conversation

The Northwest Pilots who overshot a Minnesota runway by 150 miles last week told investigators they were using their personal laptops in the cockpit, a violation of company policy, according to a National Transportation Safety Board advisory.For clarification, let’s restate that. The Northwest Pilots who OVERSHOT a Minnesota runway by 150 MILES last week told investigators they were using their personal laptops in the cockpit, a VIOLATION OF COMPANY POLICY, according to a National Transportation Safety Board advisory.The two pilots, interviewed separately on Sunday, told investigators they lost track of time when they used their laptops while in a ‘concentrated period of discussion’ about the new monthly crew flight scheduling system.That makes it better, methinks. I first thought they were discussing Mac -vs- PC. Whew. I feel better now. Don’t you? They were discussing work matters.The system in such heated discussion reportedly changed after the Northwest-Delta merger.The pilots told NTSB officials that they had not been monitoring the airplane or calls from Air Traffic Control at that time, according to the report.Both pilots said they heard conversation on the radio, but failed to notice messages that were sent by dispatchers. It wasn’t until a flight attendant called the pilots about five minutes before the flight was scheduled to land that they realized they had passed the airport, according to the report.I am not sure what questions to even ask here. I thought TXTing and driving were bad. But flying and computing? Flying and talking? Note to all pilots: It is NOT just your life at stake. You are in charge of a precious cargo of humanity.What is your message to pilots?GO!