ANZ captain locks copilot out from cockpit?

[Bozzo]

This reported today in the NZ Herald:

Two Air New Zealand pilots were stood down and their cabin crew offered counselling after a frightening mid-air incident on a packed transtasman flight.

The drama unfolded on flight NZ176 between Perth and Auckland on May 21, when the first officer was locked out of the cockpit for two minutes.

The captain did not respond to requests to open the locked door, alarming crew. The pair had apparently fallen out over a take-off delay.

One expert says two minutes is "an eternity" on a flight — and the incident, on a Boeing 777-200 carrying 303 people, has sparked calls for a third crew member to be added to flight decks so no one is ever alone in the cockpit.

Air NZ spokeswoman Marie Hosking said the first officer and crew became concerned after the captain did not respond to three requests over two minutes from a cabin crew member to open the cockpit door.

The first officer eventually used an alternative method to access the cockpit.


For security reasons, the airline would not say how.

"Naturally, cabin crew operating the flight were concerned about the inability to contact the captain and and safety manager Errol Burtenshaw.

They were offered the support of the company's employee assistance programme after the flight.

Both pilots were stood down — the captain for two weeks and the first officer for a week, and given counselling and additional training.

There was "some tension" between the pilots after a 13-minute delay to the flight's departure after the first officer had to take part in a random drug and alcohol test.

"This departure delay frustrated the captain who prides himself on operational efficiency."

Safety and security were paramount and the incident was "unfortunate", Burtenshaw said.

"Both pilots have learned a valuable lesson around the need to communicate better with peers."

He said the captain did not respond or open the door because he was approaching a navigational waypoint and in his cockpit monitor saw a cabin crew member rather than the first officer ringing.

The airline provided a report on the incident to the Civil Aviation Authority. Spokesman Mike Richards said it was satisfied with Air NZ's actions.

But aviation commentator Peter Clark said the incident showed it was time all airlines put a third crew member in the cockpit. "After [the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight] MH370 there's definitely questions being asked about whether there should be more than two people on the flight deck." quite anxious," said the national carrier's operational integrity
The Beijing-bound Boeing 777 and its 239 passengers and crew vanished after the plane left Kuala Lumpur on March 8. A Malaysian investigation last month identified the captain as the chief suspect, if human intervention was to blame.

Clark said there was no excuse for the Air NZ captain to not immediately respond to calls, given the MH370 mystery and the fate of other flights, including an Ethiopian Airlines flight hijacked by its asylum-seeking co-pilot this year.

"You can push a button and say 'I'm busy' ... two minutes is an eternity when people reflect on MH370. The transponder can be turned off, the flight co-ordinates changed, the plane depressurised.

"It shouldn't have happened."

[mattyj]

Trans-Tasman flight scare (http://news.msn.co.nz/nationalnews/8870397/trans-tasman-flight-scare)

nice one guys! :}

[ElZilcho]

Interesting that the F/O has been stood down also. Admittedly, a week off when you're on the 777 is pretty standard these days anyway :E but I fail to see any point in taking disciplinary action against them for being locked out.

I've also been subjected to the "Random Drug & Alcohol testing"... they tap you on the shoulder very close to departure and haul you off for the test. It's virtually impossible to achieve OTP from that point, can't blame the Captain for being pissy about it, but certainly wasn't the F/O's fault.

As for not answering the call.... :mad:

[nonsense]

Pilot locked out of Air New Zealand cockpit after mid-air dispute - The Age (http://www.theage.com.au/travel/travel-incidents/pilot-locked-out-of-air-new-zealand-cockpit-after-midair-dispute-20140706-zsxra.html)

[JohnMcGhie]

I have never flown co-pilot on anything. But I have certainly stopped a car and jumped out of the driver's seat when the passenger was giving me the irrits.

I concluded that I was sufficiently emotionally disturbed to be unsafe to continue driving.

I almost did it two more times before ditching that particular girlfriend!

My point would be that pilots don't have the luxury of pulling over and taking the bus home. Then again, drivers are not paid that much to drive their car (Michael Shumacher excepted...).

So my suggestion is that there should be a code-word in CRM: perhaps "Sterile Cockpit" that would be the signal to both pilots to instantly confine their remarks and gestures only to those necessary for conducting the flight.

Yes, I understand why the FO was suspended: he had a joint responsibility to stop the nonsense. What I do not understand is why they are proposing to allow the Captain to continue his career.

I'm sorry, but I don't want to be flown anywhere by a man who cannot control his emotional state sufficiently to keep the aircraft safe.

When I had a few in the pub and gave the Managing Director a free character assessment, my career in that company was over. No amount of "I am terribly sorry" or "I will ensure this never happens again" made any difference. My career was over! I did not have the right stuff to be making decisions at a senior level. They knew it, and I knew it. They did not sack me, I walked.

"Aviation in itself is not inherently dangerous. But to an even greater degree
than the sea, it is terribly unforgiving of any carelessness, incapacity or neglect."
~Captain A. G. Lamplugh, London, 1930's

[Capt Claret]

Interesting that the F/O has been stood down also.

Not really in this day and age. Most incidents with a safety implication will see crew stood down (on pay) subject to an investigation.

If the reporting is accurate, it seems a long bow to draw that the Captain thought it was the Cabin Crew calling. However having been enraged by the bahaviour and disruptions of security screening I guess it's not beyond the realms of possibility that the Captain was still so incensed that his mind was not completed on the job.

[Capt Claret]

This thread duplicates another ...

http://www.pprune.org/australia-new-zealand-pacific/543030-world-class-crm-action.html

[fortybelow]

The fact that the first officer had to use "alternative methods" to open the door should have raised alarm bells left, right and centre, and the captains psychological fitness to retain command needs to be called into question.

Being upset with your F/O is one thing, but barring him/her from the office is entirely different. How long did he intend to keep him/her out to "teach him a lesson" for daring to agree to the drug and alcohol testing which caused the delay - 3 minutes, 5, 10, half an hour? Did he intend to keep him out indefinitely? Did he even know himself what his intentions were?

I sorry but this guy needs to be out of the LHS RFN. I wouldn't like to fly with him driving next time. What if (god forbid!) there was an issue with, I don't know, a flight attendant going sick or a pax causing a delay? What type of tantrum will he throw next?

Any of his peers care to comment or is it :oh:?

[Captain Sand Dune]

Captain Billy Bligh?:E

[Ollie Onion]

Totally unacceptable, even if he thought 'it was just a cabin crew member' calling, ignoring 3 separate attempts to contact the flight deck is just ridiculous. It takes 10 seconds to answer and say 'I will call you back, just on the radio'. Childish, arrogant and in this day and age totally irresponsible. :ugh:

[bankrunner]

From another article on SMH:

Aviation commentator Peter Clark called on airlines to put at least three people in the cockpit so no-one is ever alone at the flight deck.

Bring back flight engineers? :E

[Captain Sand Dune]

Better put four on the flight deck in case two of them gang up on the other one!:hmm:
'Aviation commentator'?

[framer]

Which is more likely?
A) the third person has nefarious intent
Or
B) the third person prevents a flight crew member from doing illegal things

I think it is still safer as is, and would be less safe if the flight deck was accessible to extra personal who each have their own chance of being bonkers.

[biggles61]

If the reported behaviour is correct, the Captain should not be allowed back in the flight deck permanently in ANY capacity...

[muffman]

Looks like the flight departed about half an hour late. Hanging on pretty tight if they're getting wound up about that. :ugh:

[keep it level]

CRM. hmmmm, Captain has responsibility for keeping the flight safe and it appears that his personal dissatisfaction (petty) with a late departure not of his F/O's intent due random testing is not grounds for not letting him back on the flight Deck or even having a beef with him. That in itself shows either a lack of professionalism in getting rattled by such a mediocre occurrence and not achieving OTP. Random testing is in essence an operational requirement demanded by the traveling public, regulatory bodies and the Airline. OTP comes secondary to safety.

The NZ Herald reports "This departure delay frustrated the Captain who prides himself on operational efficiency." This is at odds with the actions of the Captain and suggests a more pressing psychological issue with the Captain and if so I am sure many of his other First Officers would have experienced odd behavior.

So is this reported, Going by what I read and that the First Officer reported the event and has been hauled across the coals for doing so and criticised for completing his duties and taking a physiological toilet and movement break, I would suspect not as who wants to put themselves in his position simply by doing what is safe and right. A reporting culture is obviously not encouraged and blame apportioned to protect a Captain.

I would not want my family flying on a plane with that Captain.

[BPA]

Reports say the ground delay was due to DAMP testing of the FO.

[Chocks Away]

Here here!

...captains psychological fitness to retain command needs to be called into question.- fortybelow. :ok:

Sadly, Air Bro and many carriers in this region have such self-righteous floggers in the left seat still... pity this huge juggernaut every company now has called HR, wasn't around earlier to "pick them off" as they actively do now, even with a sniff of suspicion.
Certainly a perfect case study for them at their next CRM Refresher :}

[ga_trojan]

If what the Age article says is correct maybe the Captain might want to be tested for Aspergers. Throwing tanty like that just because you're late certainly raises the aspergers/autism alarm bells. Especially if the dude ticks a few other boxes like being highly intelligent and socially akward.......

[Boe787]

Why are the random drug and alcohol tests conducted so close to departure time?

[500N]

Why are the random drug and alcohol tests conducted so close to
departure time?


I was wondering the same thing.

[Creampuff]

When would you conduct the tests otherwise?

(Don't get me wrong: I think they are a complete WOFTAM, unless there is reasonable suspicion that a particular person may be D or A affected on duty. But it seems to me to be a bit pointless carrying tests out hours before the person is about to carry out safety critical functions. There would also be the practicalities of finding the person ...)

[Compylot]

So we have a Captain who is psychologically unstable, evil, unable to control his emotional state, childish, arrogant, obviously with Asperger's or Autism and who shouldn't be allowed back in the cockpit or allowed to continue his career ever? Anyone else with anything to add?


This all concluded in under 20 posts and from information gathered from a newspaper article.


It IS truly amazing what conclusions can be drawn when the intelligentsia of pprune put their collective heads together, fascinating stuff gentlemen.

[500N]

Anyone else with anything to add?


He's probably sexist as well ;)

[Gas Bags]

Or worse yet....Australian!

[Stationair8]

Was the captain breast fed or bottle fed?

[Chocks Away]

Compylot- yep, that's right! :ok:
Any further questions ? :confused:... No!
Ok then, case closed...
Next on our Sunday Ledger is... "Bottle-fed Sexist Australian Captains who lock..."
:D

[500N]

We need to weave "Misogyny" in the wording somewhere ! ;) :p

[Oishi]

Some airlines require a flight attendant to go into the cockpit for added security and safety measures when one of the flight crew needs to go for a toilet break.

[p.j.m]

We need to weave "Misogyny" in the wording somewhere ! ;) :p

Juliar Gillard was involved?

[500N]

Julia was the stewardess calling the Captain that he saw on his monitor
and because it was a female and not the FO he ignored her !

[Luke SkyToddler]

*If* it's true, then it sounds like a pretty daft thing for the skipper to lose his cool over

I agree that random drug tests are a complete WOFTAM but, once the pr!cks turn up on your flight deck, what exactly can you do about it, refuse?

[crewmeal]

Was the captain trying to replicate MH 370?

Air NZ cockpit lockout and MH370, is there a common factor? | Plane Talking (http://blogs.crikey.com.au/planetalking/2014/07/06/air-nz-cockpit-lockout-and-mh370-is-there-a-common-factor/)

[compressor stall]

What's wrong with calling a FA into the cockpit when the pilot needs to have a leak?

[1279shp]

Why does this 'av expert' keep getting quoted?

Air NZ must be loving the press they should have 3 person crews on short haul flights!

Remember he questioned use of twin engined jets on long haul on TV back when MH 370 was news.

[bankrunner]

What's wrong with calling a FA into the cockpit when the pilot needs to have a leak?

I believe some companies do just this, but only so there's someone available to open the flight deck door to let the other bloke back if the PF goes U/S.

If the second body on the flight deck isn't familiar with the operation of the aircraft, how are they going to recognise when the PF is up to no good, let alone do anything about it? Especially if we use an FA as an example, who could well be a young lady of small build with potentially half the body mass of the ne'er-do-well pilot.

[Boe787]

Cream Puff,

My point was, why is the test conducted so close to departure time,if it takes say 15 minutes, why dont they enter the flight deck, at say -25 prior to departure?

[travelator]

The flight deck should be off limits to anybody other than those that need to be there (Pilots, engineers, F/A's etc). DAMP, get them in the crew room without interrupting or delaying vital pre flight procedures. Does the legislation include a "no contact or disruption" clause?

When a crew is delayed, stress levels rise and workloads increase to compensate for the reduced time and commercial implications. The potential for error rises dramatically when the crew is late and rushing to make up time. Imagine if they missed some vital pre flight action or entered some erroneous data as a result of "last minute DAMP" and an accident or incident occurred (other than the lockout!). CASA and the DAMPers would have to be a contributing factor.

[itsnotthatbloodyhard]

Sorry, but where does it say that the random testing happened on the flight deck? I've only ever heard of it occurring at sign-on/flight planning. I think if I had testers turn up on my flight deck at T-25, I'd be putting a 45 minute delay on the flight and suggesting we conduct our business elsewhere. But like I say, I haven't heard of it happening.

[Creampuff]

787/travel

Very good points, if it's true the testers stumped up to the cockpit.

I reckon that if a test is going to be carried out on any crew, it should be before they enter the aircraft.

If the legal technicality is that the crew aren't performing safety critical tasks until they are on board, change the law. (But I still reckon it's a WOFTAM, absent reasonable grounds in specific circumstances.)

(But perhaps we are ignoring the obvious explanation for the behaviour, which explanation accommodates other facts: Does anyone know what the results of the test were ... :E )

[ManaAdaSystem]

Just got an email saying the flight crew on Air New Zealand flight from Perth to Auckland ? got grounded after the captain locked the copilot out from the cockpit while enroute. The Effoh had to use alternative procedures to gain access to the flight deck.
The reason was apparently "tension" between the two.

Must have been a cosy flight.

[ManaAdaSystem]

Mid-air drama on Air NZ flight - National - NZ Herald News (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11288373&ref=NZH_FBpage)

[socksfirst thenshoes]

I have to agree with comply plot above, the incident was handled by the company and appropriate measures taken. What is that saying about glass houses etc.
Socks
Midvale-school for the gifted class of 79

[Angle of Attack]

Not a lot of facts have been made clear, and anything in the News media is inherently wrong anyway, I would say this is a blown up story, 2 mins meh, 20 mins, yeah. The whole media bandwagon is full of it, I don't know why this was released the way it was, sounds suspicious to me....:ugh:

[Don_Apron]

Hmmm and these guys are still getting through the system after completing an assessment akin, i would expect to joining NASA.

These could be the fruits of a divide and rule policy.

[chimbu warrior]

Sorry, but where does it say that the random testing happened on the flight deck? I've only ever heard of it occurring at sign-on/flight planning.

Has happened to me twice. Both times on a turnaround the testing team came on board and DAMP tested all crew.

One occasion caused a delay, one did not.

[Pedota]

This event has some of the hallmarks of the BEA 548 'Staines disaster' in 1972 . . .

British European Airways Flight 548 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_European_Airways_Flight_548)

[kaikohe76]

Quite happily agree with`Angle of Attack. For concise, calm, & absolutely correct reporting of any incident anywhere, the TV news, Newspapers etc should be the last place one should look. The only two people who know what really went on, are the two F/D, I understand & assume they have been debriefed by Air NZ.
Unfortunately, random drug testing is here to stay, yes a right pain in the rear, I accept, but it's here permanently & we have to live with it. I also totally agree, it's almost a total waste of everybody's time & as in this case, I think,throws a needless spanner into the Crew's pre flight preparation.
Over 38 years in the industry, I think my percentage of on time departures, would be somewhere about the 25% mark!
In a couple of weeks, self & herself are returning from PER to AKL on NZ 176, hope all is cleared up by then.

[Heli-phile]

I will be astonished if this story doe's not go viral. I know it can get a bit frosty up front but never so bad that a Captain locks out the 1st officer. There has to be more to this story than is presented. Doing this sort of thing is a career ending event without a bloody good excuse for all parties involved.

[p.j.m]

Just got an email saying the flight crew on Air New Zealand flight from Perth to Auckland ? got grounded after the captain locked the copilot out from the cockpit while enroute.

there's already 2 or 3 other threads on this topic.

http://www.pprune.org/rumours-news/535538-malaysian-airlines-mh370-contact-lost-564.html#post8551022

http://www.pprune.org/australia-new-zealand-pacific/543029-mid-air-drama-air-nz.html

http://www.pprune.org/australia-new-zealand-pacific/543030-world-class-crm-action.html

[IcePack]

If 2 mins. Is true methinks a bit more to this. Eg f/o trying to drop the capt in it for some hidden agenda. If capt actualy wanted to stop f/o he can override those other means. I suspect he was busy & possibly did not want to press crew call & change tx/rx on the audio selector panel. Now if 20 mins that is different ' I'd expect ANZ to have taken a dimmer view.

[neilki]

I may be confusing my Part 121 with CAA Air Law, but preventing a required crew member from exercising his duties is called a 'Hijack' is it not. Sadly if true, a little more than 2 weeks at home in the garden is due. This is loss of medical territory, and in the US at least, a very early Christmas for the legal profession...