Preliminary Report Shows He Slept Most Of The Trip

The pilot of an Air India Express flight which overshot the runway in Mangalore on landing had been asleep for more than half the flight, according to an official report from the Indian government. 158 people were fatally injured when the aircraft went into a ravine off the end of the runway and caught fire.

File Photo

The reports says that the pilot, who had logged more than 10,000 hours flying, suffered from "sleep inertia" and was disoriented during the approach to Mangalore. Business Week reports that, according to the Hindustan Times, the CVR picked up the sound of heavy snoring and breathing during the flight.

The panel investigating the accident said that the pilot, Zlatko Glusica, reacted slowly to the developing situations and did not follow standard operating procedures during the approach and landing attempt.

The paper reportedly received the information about the report, which is not yet public, through a leak on the panel. A person speaking on condition of anonymity said the report was accurate, and it would be made public after being presented to the Indian parliament.

FMI: http://civilaviation.nic.in