DGCA initiates probe into Cong aircraft incident

Lucknow: The Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Saturday, initiated an inquiry into the incident in which a landing chartered aircraft carrying Congress leaders came close to a waiting aircraft on the runway ready to take off. At the same time, the Airport Authority of India (AAI) sought a detailed report from the air traffic control (ATC) to ascertain the possible coordination lapse.
On Friday, the chartered aircraft carrying Congress leaders, Pramod Tewari and Jairam Ramesh, had a close shave when it reportedly came dangerously close to a waiting aircraft of Saudia airlines.
While AAI officials refused to comment, sources said that the authority is likely to submit its report with the DGCA in a day or two. Sources said that prima facie it appeared that there was some lapse in judging the arrival of the chartered aircraft. AAI sources affirmed that, at times, smaller aircraft use a shorter route than expected. In case of the one carrying Congress leaders, the aircraft probably arrived at least two to three minutes earlier than expected. AAI officials, too, did not rule out the possibility of the pilot taking an alternate route which may have resulted in its arrival relatively earlier.
Significantly, while both Pramod Tewari and Jairam Ramesh lodged their complaint, the pilot didn't. Sources said that it could be the company to which the aircraft belonged may file a complaint.
29/01/12 Times of India

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Categories: airports Jan 2012, Safety Jan 2012