In some jobs, certain types of mistakes are inexcusable. Period. That is why a commercial airline pilot and co-pilot in the news last week should be fired - by Federal Aviation Administration order, if necessary.
On Wednesday night law enforcement and military officials became concerned enough to place two fighter jets on alert when a Northwest Airlines flight that was supposed to land at Minneapolis overshot the airport there by 150 miles. Finally, frantic air traffic controllers were able to contact the pilot and co-pilot.
According to the two, they became distracted because of an argument - and not only missed the airport but failed to hear alerts radioed from the ground.
Obviously, investigators need to learn more about what happened. But they already know enough to keep the pilot and co-pilot from getting back into the cockpit.