Source: Port Macquarie News
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WHEN a tired and unwell Port Macquarie pilot climbed into the cockpit of his Cessna 210, the last thing on his mind would be the possibility of putting his life in danger.
It was a familiar route and a solo flight he’d done many times before.
But cruising at 8500 feet above sea level, businessman and Port Macquarie-Hastings councillor Michael Cusato would fall fast asleep.
It is one of only three such documented cases in Australian airspace since 2006.
An Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) report released on Monday, revealed the details of an investigation into the incident, and urged other pilots to be aware of the dangers of fatigued flying.
Mr Cusato has been grounded since the day of his mid-flight snooze back in September last year.
He now awaits the outcome of medical tests; including sleep apnoea and fatigue tests, submitted to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA).
On the afternoon of the incident last year, Mr Cusato planned to fly from Port Macquarie to Bankstown airport.
He set off at about 3.10pm, and set his plane to auto-pilot through the ideal weather conditions.
At the time, he was feeling “a little tired and unwell”.
Before passing over Taree, he contacted Brisbane Centre air traffic control and obtained clearance to enter Williamtown airspace.
But after 4pm, the ATSB report said, Mr Cusato failed to respond to numerous calls from air traffic controllers in Brisbane as he entered Williamtown airspace.
Twenty minutes later he entered Sydney airspace north of Brooklyn Bridge without clearance, and several thousand feet higher than he should have been.
This prompted Brisbane Centre air traffic control to issue a safety alert that forced two inbound Sydney flights to fly higher than normal to keep sufficiently clear of the Cessna.
Sydney Approach air traffic control also put an air ambulance flight and a scheduled public transport flight on notice to maintain a visual lookout for the small plane.
The ATSB report noted air traffic controllers had ‘’concerns as to the intentions of the pilot’’.
Mr Cusato was blissfully unaware until he woke to realise he was in Sydney airspace with no memory of anything after receiving the clearance to enter Williamtown airspace.
‘“It freaked me out,’’ Mr Cusato said on Monday. ‘“When I realised where I was I was well into the flight paths of some of the jets.’’
In a state of complete shock, Mr Cusato, who has 3000 hours flying experience, checked his instruments and began a spiral descent of 2,500 feet to regain his original altitude.
He broadcast his position on the Warnervale common traffic advisory frequency in case the Cessna posed a risk to other traffic in the area.
During the descent he listened to Brisbane, Williamtown and Sydney frequencies and was relieved there appeared to have been no issues over Williamtown airspace while he was sleeping.
On landing, he immediately contacted CASA and an investigation was launched.
“I understand why they decided to ground me,’’ Mr Cusato said.
“If they know a guy’s fallen asleep then that obviously has to be investigated. It happened to me, and I never thought it would.’’
Mr Cusato said he had had little sleep before he made the flight, and was feeling unwell.
“I was quite lucky I did get pinged in controlled airspace because I was being monitored. It was serious, and of course I am very lucky no one else was involved,’’ he said.