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FAA Admits Flubs on Wandering Northwest Flight

Miscommunication marked regulator's response to stray airliner

By Nick McMaster, Newser Staff

Posted Nov 13, 2009 3:29 PM CST

(Newser) – The FAA should have taken more decisive action on the Northwest Airlines flight that fell out of communication with ground control for 77 minutes last month, officials acknowledged today. While the plane was out of contact, air-traffic controllers changed shifts and failed to warn their... Read full story »

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FAA Admits Flubs on Wandering Northwest Flight

Miscommunication marked regulator's response to stray airliner

FAA • Northwest Airlines • San Diego • runaway • planes • Minneapolis airport • National Transportation Safety Board • Federal Aviation Administration • regulator • Randy Babbitt

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FAA transcript shows pair blaming silence on 'cockpit distractions'

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Device captures just half an hour; record of 78-minute gap lost

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Supervisor who fell asleep on the job has been suspended

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Chaos prompts terror fears; agency calls for re-registration

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