Delta pilots union assails NTSB handling of incident

ATLANTA, Oct 30 (Reuters) - The chairman of the Delta Air Lines Inc (DAL.N) unit of the Air Line Pilots Association on Friday said the National Transportation Safety Board was "irresponsible" in its handling of the incident involving Northwest Airlines pilots who overflew their destination.

"The NTSB's recent actions and rush to judgment as it relates to the investigation into Flight 188 is both irresponsible and in conflict with its own mission statement," Lee Moak, chairman of the executive committee of the Delta pilots unit, said in a letter to members posted on the union's website.

Earlier this week, U.S. regulators revoked the licenses of the two Northwest pilots, who said they lost their bearings during an Oct. 21 flight while discussing company policy and using their laptops.

The pilots of Northwest Flight 188 from San Diego to Minneapolis lost contact with air controllers for more than an hour and overshot the Minneapolis-St Paul Airport by 150 miles (240 km), aviation officials said.

The pilots told the NTSB that they "lost track of time" during a conversation on new crew schedules. They were also using their personal laptop computers as part of that discussion, officials said.

Moak's letter said the NTSB released details of the incident based on the crew's voluntary statements to the public "through a poorly timed press release."

He added that the NTSB's actions risked reducing the effectiveness of aviation safety programs that are based on voluntary disclosure.

"Our nation's aviation safety foundation is based on individuals voluntarily coming forward with information to enhance safety," Moak's letter said.

Those involved in an incident "have a right to due process and an expectation that their cooperation not be exploited for the convenience of the agencies involved in the investigation regardless of the pressure those agencies may feel from the media or others," Moak added.

Delta, which acquired Northwest last year, said earlier this week that it has suspended the pilots pending the outcome of the NTSB investigation and an internal company probe. (Reporting by Karen Jacobs; Editing by Gary Hill)