Stewardess demoted to First Officer

[IGh]

Humans, all-nighters, Housekeeping-tactics for Pilots

This sort of tedious long-haul, all-NIGHTer, CRZ condition, has resulted in some interesting human-cases. “Incapacitation” ?? or maybe just a “normal” long-day???

Sometimes, in the past, things didn’t go as well -- as in this well managed Air Canada case. Maybe there are “housekeeping” tactics pilots employ, at night, in recognition of past human “distractions” and human errs.


Thinking back to 15Feb59, PanAm 115, with Capt Waldo Lynch out-of-seat, and out-of-cockpit: "Clipper 115" a B707, N712PA, en route from Paris-London-Gander to NY, made an uncontrolled descent of approximately 29000 feet. Following recovery aircraft flown to Gander. … extensive structural damage.

China Air 006, 19Feb85, B747SP lost control at FL410. Investigators attributed the initial upset to thrust asymmetry: "Airplane rolled to the right, nosed over, and entered and uncontrollable descent." Passing 19083' aircraft experienced 5.1 G's…. leveled at 9,500 feet… major structural damage,

AA901 / 29Jun94, 0023 eastern, MD-11, N1752K Night CRZ, PIC out-of-cockpit on rest break, Relief F/O in left seat, FA entered COCKPIT with BEVERAGES, FA routinely attempted to place the tray on the footrest of Observers Seat, but FO’s SEAT was back, IN THE WAY. Without F/O’s knowledge, left seater reached across and ACTIVATED electric motor SWITCH for FO’s Seat, MOVING it forwared... FO'S LEG-CROSSED ... contacted COLUMN PUSHING IT FORWARD…. AUTOPILOT tripped OFF…. FORWARD COLUMN INPUT … PITCHED DOWN. … INJURIES TO PASSENGERS AND CREW. [visitor-in-cockpit, FO’s seat-aft, FO’s leg-crossed heel-to-knee while occupying a pilot seat].

B767 / 31Oct99, NIGHT Crz, FL330, east bound, North Atlantic, one pilot out-of-seat, out-of-cockpit, PF/FO el-Batouty voices a common prayer mentioned after mundane surprises … At 0149:18, the CVR recorded the sound of an electric seat motor … 27 seconds later … the autopilot … disconnected…. very slight movement of both elevators … slight nose-down pitch change, which were recorded within the first second after autopilot disconnect…” ... FDR G trace, UPSET- dive … Capt returns to cockpit … Pull-up- steep climb ... then descent to impact. // Suspicious! Murdercide? Or maybe just an older FO-PF, at night, long CRZ, slightly disoriented, maybe not feeling his best.