But They'll Need To Find New Jobs

The infamous napping go! Airlines pilots, who fell asleep en route to Hilo, HI on a short flight from Honolulu on the morning of February 13, have both completed their suspensions by the FAA and may return to flight duty... though it's unclear whether another airline would hire them.

The Associated Press reports Captain Scott Oltman, 45, and 23-year-old First Officer Dillon Shepley wrapped up their respective suspensions earlier this month. Both were grounded for careless and reckless operation of their CRJ-200, which instead of landing in Hilo flew past its destination at FL210, and out to sea. Controllers were unable to establish contact with the plane for 25 minutes.

Oltman -- who was later diagnosed with a severe form of sleep apnea, which causes people to stop breathing and hinders their ability to rest normally -- received a 60 day suspension. Shepley received a 45-day reprimand. As ANN reported, go! -- a subsidiary of Mesa Air Group -- fired both pilots in late April.

To this day, investigators aren't certain what could have caused both men to fall asleep on the 214-mile island hop. The FAA has since determined go! couldn't be faulted in the case, saying the airline provided the pilots with a 15-hour break between shifts, nearly double the mandated eight-hour minimum.

FAA spokesman Ian Gregor told the AP he wasn't sure whether either pilot has been hired by another airline.

FMI: www.mesa-air.com, www.faa.gov