US pilots forget to land in Minneapolis

The two pilots of a Northwest Airlines flight to Minneapolis forgot to land at their destination and kept on flying. They had travelled another 230 kilometres before they realised their oversight.

Their error caused panic among air traffic controllers, who were unable to contact the flight from San Diego for around one hour. Fighter jets were alerted for fear that the plane had been hijacked.

The pilots said they were so engrossed in a heated discussion on airline policy that they lost track of time. Northwest Airlines has suspended them from duty pending an investigation.