History of Flight
At 0916 on February 13, 2008, a Bombardier CL-600-2B19, registration N651BR, operated by Mesa Airlines as Go! Flight 1002 departed Honolulu International Airport (HNL) on a scheduled domestic passenger flight to General Lyman Field (ITO) in Hilo, Hawaii. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 121 with an instrument flight rules flight plan. The first officer was the flying pilot.
About 0930, the captain contacted Honolulu Control Facility (HCF) reporting climbing through 11,700 feet to Flight Level 210. HCF cleared the flight direct to the PARIS intersection. The captain acknowledged, but the flight did not change course initially. After a second clearance at 0933, the flight turned toward PARIS. Both pilots later stated they inadvertently fell asleep soon after receiving this clearance. The captain said he closed his eyes and dozed off; the first officer entered a sleep-like state where he could hear but not comprehend.
At 0940, as the flight crossed Maui, HCF instructed a frequency change with no response. For 18 minutes, HCF attempted contact unsuccessfully. About 0951, the flight reached PARIS and turned southeast toward the Hilo VOR. It crossed the Hilo VOR at 0955, continued southeast at Flight Level 210, passed over the northeast coast of Hawaii, and flew out over the ocean. Aircraft flew 26 nautical miles beyond ITO.
About 0958, the first officer awoke, noticed the off-course condition and 4,500 pounds of fuel remaining, and woke the captain. The captain contacted HCF, stating they must have missed a handoff. The flight returned to ITO, landing at 1015. After landing, the captain telephoned FAA personnel and reported a lost-communications event due to an incorrect radio frequency. Later, he submitted a written report to Mesa Airlines explaining that both pilots had fallen asleep.
Flight Crew Information
The captain, age 53, held an airline transport pilot certificate with type ratings including CL-65. He had 20,000–25,000 total flight hours, with 8,000 as pilot-in-command in the CL-65. He reported 830 hours in the last 12 months. He had been on a temporary assignment in Hawaii since January 13, 2008, which was later extended 28 days. He reported experiencing operational stressors: a partially functioning flight management system on previous flights, late flight attendants, and a rushed schedule.
The first officer, age 23, held a commercial pilot certificate with a CL-65 type rating for second-in-command only. He had 1,250 total hours, 500 in type. He had flown 240 hours in the last 90 days.
Both pilots had duty schedules involving eight legs per day on the days preceding the incident, with early wake times (0400–0500) and bedtimes around 2030–2200. The captain reported feeling "burned out" and had difficulty adjusting to Hawaii. He also reported snoring loudly and had discussed sleep issues with his physician in December 2007.
Medical Information
The captain's most recent FAA first-class medical certificate was issued December 18, 2007, with a corrective lenses limitation. He took medication for high blood pressure. After the incident, he underwent a sleep evaluation and was diagnosed with severe obstructive sleep apnea, which an evaluating physician noted provided "an etiology for significant fatigue."
The first officer's FAA first-class medical certificate was issued February 2, 2007, with no limitations. He reported good health and no medication use.
Post-incident toxicological testing on February 14, 2008, showed no evidence of drug use.
Survival Factors
A flight attendant interviewed on March 27, 2008, stated she flew four legs with the crew and did not notice them appearing tired. She did not notice anything unusual about the incident flight and did not sense it was longer than normal. She indicated that she would contact the flight deck if she thought the flight was unusually long, but did not do so on this occasion.
Organizational Information
Mesa Airlines launched Go! Airlines as a wholly-owned subsidiary on June 9, 2006, with an initial fleet of two Canadair Regional Jets. By the incident date, Go! operated five regional jets with about 60 pilots.