Northwest Flight Misses MSP Airport

The NTSB is investigating a case of distracted pilots at the controls after a Northwest Airlines flight overshot the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport by about 150 miles.

According to the National Transportation Safety Board, Northwest Flight 188 from San Diego to Minneapolis lost radio contact with air-traffic controllers around 6:56 p.m. CDT on Wednesday. The Airbus A320, cruising at 37,000 feet, was carrying 144 passengers and five crew, said Delta.

At 7:58 p.m. CDT, the plane flew over MSP Airport and continued northeast for approximately 150 miles. The MSP air traffic controller reestablished communications with the crew at 8:14 p.m. and said that the crew had become distracted and had overflown MSP, and requested to return to Minneapolis

According to the FAA, the crew was interviewed by the FBI and Minneapolis airport police. The crew said they were in a heated discussion over airline policy and they lost "situational awareness."

Military fighter jets in two locations were on alert after communication was lost with the NWA plane. Pilots were in the jets on the tarmacs, fueled up and waiting for orders, said Steve Brown of FOX News Chicago, The NTSB is scheduling an interview with the flight crew. Flight data and voice records have been secured and sent to the NTSB in Washington. Delta has taken all involved pilots off of active flight duty until the investigation is complete.

Delta AIrlines released the following statement Thursday afternoon:

The safety of our passengers and crew is our top priority. We are cooperating with the FAA and NTSB in their investigation as well as conducting our own internal investigation. The pilots have been relieved from active flying pending the completion of these investigations.

Northwest Flight 188 landed safely in Minneapolis just after 9 p.m.

If you were on Northwest Flight 188 from San Diego to Minneapolis, call FOX 9 News at 952-946-5767.

View: Flight Track Log at FlightAware.com