Hi guys,
I noticed this-
http://flightaware.com/live/flight/NWA58/history/20061007/0050Z/KMEM/EHAM
The flight normally routes KMEM-EHAM, but made some kind of weird turn and went all the way to KMSP. If it was a medical divert I would assume they wouldn’t go all the way to KMSP. Any ideas?
Regards
JB 
Looks like it was some type of MX issue that wasn’t an emergency, but the pilot didn’t want to fly across the pond with. They would then go back to MSP, where I assume the fastest repairs could be done.
I’m just guessing here, but I find it interesting that the flight was held at KMSP for 16 hrs 37 mins. Also, what happened to the Saturday night departure from Memphis?
I think the length of the ground stop at KMSP rules out a medical divert or an unruly passenger.
Mechanical problems? Flying to the big NWA hub at KMSP might indicate ‘mechanical’, but don’t they have other DC-10s there that could have flown out that night or in the morning? I’m thinking it’s not a mechanical divert.
The fact that NWA58 did not fly from KMEM Saturday makes me think there were other operational considerations. Suppose the KMEM passenger loads are quite small and there was a huge charter group trying to fly from KMSP. Maybe it costs less for overnight accommodation of a Memphis group than to add a supplementary crew and plane from Minneapolis. It could have been a simple business decision to reschedule a flight to EHAM even if it had already left from KMEM. Considering NWA’s past passenger relations fiascos, this wouldn’t necessarily surprise me.
Newark777’s reply triggers another idea: Maybe the Friday crew couldn’t continue the flight Friday night because they would have run beyond their flight hours allowance. They’d have to have an overnight rest before they could legally fly again. Still, that doesn’t explain why there was not NWA58 out of KMEM on Saturday. That would necessarily have been a different crew (but maybe not a different plane?).
I’m just guessing because I haven’t found a word about that flight on the internet.
“Suppose the KMEM passenger loads are quite small and there was a huge charter group trying to fly from KMSP…”
They are not. Most every MSP/AMS flight is oversold.
oops, meant to say most MEM/AMS flights are oversold.
Seeing as how it’s a DC-10, one would be wise to assume that it’s a MX issue. MSP just happens to be NWA’s “base” of mechanical ops for the remaining -10s in their fleet.