Australia plan missed destination after pilot fell asleep, could result in serious mishap

New Delhi : A small plane missed its destination in Australia after its pilot fell asleep in the cockpit, air safety officials report. The kind of carelessness could have resulted in airplane mishap and many people might have lost their lives.

The BBC report claims that the pilot was the only person on board the Piper PA-31 aircraft from Devonport to King Island in Tasmania on November 8.

The case of carelessness has been filed as a case of "incapacitation". Further, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has conducted investigation regarding the case.

However, officials have not mentioned how the pilot awoke before landing the plane safely.

"During the cruise, the pilot fell asleep, resulting in the aircraft overflying King Island by 46 kilometres," the ATSB said in a statement.

In an interview, the ATSB said that it will intervene the pilot and review operating procedures before releasing a report next year.

To inform, last year, five people died when an airplane crashed on its way to King Island after taking off in Melbourne.

The incident has created a question mark in terms of air travel safety. People who consider air travel need to consider various issues before booking tickets. The news has gone viral creating surprise reactions across the globe.