A Northwest Airlines Flight crew flew 150 mile past their destination yesterday. They claim they were in a heated debate, FCC claims they were sleeping. What is your opinion on this and does it make you hesitant to fly?

This stuff is getting scary.

Ground this crew for awhile.

How often does this happen?

These are only the crews that are getting caught that we hear about.

I fly in private planes a lot. Frankly, the airlines worry me. Trust me when I say airline pilots screw up frequently.

I've been in the aviation industry and a private pilot for thirty years.

I think there was a lot more distraction going on in the cockpit of that plane. The attached picture tells it all.

I'll fly with those guys again--only if they let me join them in the cockpit's crap game.

I think you meant FAA. My guess would be one was sleeping, and the other was not paying attention. They both should have said they were sleeping as pilot rest regulations need an overhaul!
It doesn't make me hesitant to fly. I never slept in the cockpit while flying, but a good number I have flown with do. Sometimes there only ends up being time for a four hour nap between days, and it works out better for one to take a brief nap while enroute, which has a very low workload. That way, at least one will be sharp for the much more concentration intensive arrival. Keep in mind allowing adequate rest costs the airline money, and so they are very strongly against it.

They weren't sleeping, they were lost and being men wouldn't ask for directions.