Finger-pointing continues over runway fiasco

Mumbai: What is causing mishaps at the Mumbai airport on Tuesdays? Is it just the short runway or is it a worrying lack of coordination between airlines, the airport operator and the directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA)?
Even as four pilots-- two each from the Kingfisher and Air India flights involved in Tuesday's incidents (GoAir pilots were cleared by the DGCA on Wednesday evening)-- and two air traffic control (ATC) officials were de-rostered following Tuesday's events, the buck is still being passed over who is to blame for the accident-prone operations at the airport.
The DGCA said it issued instructions over the telephone to airlines and MIAL (Mumbai International Airport Limited) on Monday that they should suspend operations on the shortened runway "under wet conditions". But the airport operator and the ATC said they had not received any directive till late on Wednesday. Reportedly, the DGCA's directive was also issued in writing (on Tuesday evening).
"The ATC officials should have informed the Kingfisher pilot about the ground conditions -- that the runway was wet and the Air India flight mishap -- which they did not," says a DGCA official.
The Mumbai air traffic control, however, said that it was the Kingfisher pilot's fault."The Kingfisher pilot should have touched-down at the beginning of the runway.But he over-shot by 500 metres thus getting only 1,200 metres for braking action," said a senior ATC official.
The Mumbai ATC officials said that just before the Kingfisher flight, there were 22 landings on the same 'short runway' but there was no problem (apart from the Air India flight).
12/11/09 Naveeta Singh/Daily News & Analysis

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Categories: Air India Domestic Nov 2009, Airports Nov 2009, GoAir Nov 2009, Kingfisher Nov 2009, NACIL Nov 2009, Safety Nov 2009