Jet pilots abort landing after phone distraction

London, April 19 (IANS) The pilots of an international flight had to abort touch-down because the captain was distracted by his mobile phone, Daily Mail reported Thursday.

Australian Jetstar flight JQ57 was making its approach to Singapore's Changi International Airport May 27, 2010 and was less than 2,500 feet above the tarmac when the captain's mobile phone messaging alert sounded.

The first officer twice tried to get the captain's attention to set a "missed-approach altitude" and when he looked over noticed the "captain was preoccupied with his mobile phone," an official report into the incident said.

It wasn't until the plane was at 700 feet that the first officer realised the landing gear was not down, according to the newspaper.

But when the Airbus A321 dipped below 500ft with the landing gear still being deployed, the Ground Proximity Warning System alarm sounded and the pilots aborted the landing.

A Jetstar spokesman said the airline counselled the pilots "on human factors that lead to distraction in the cockpit."