New Delhi: Preliminary investigation into Saturday's incident at the IGI Airport, when a private aircraft of the Uttar Pradesh government skidded off the secondary runway, has revealed that there was no problem with the aircraft's landing gear. Evidence points towards human error. The incident is still being probed and a final report will soon be submitted to the civil aviation ministry.
The aircraft, carrying Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh's younger brother Shivpal Yadav and five others, had skidded off the secondary runway on Saturday morning after its landing gear broke when the aircraft touched down. The aircraft was then dragged on its belly for around 1,500-2,000 m and veered off the runway to end up in the grass. "It was a lucky escape for those on board, especially with the aircraft ending up in the grass. Had it continued on the runway, the aircraft would have definitely caught fire and then it would have been impossible for passengers to escape," said a source. A directorate general of civil aviation team inspected the site on Saturday. Airport sources said that on first look, it appeared to be a hard landing in which the pilot was probably unable to adjust the angle of the descent.
25/09/12 Neha Lalchandani/Times of India
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The aircraft, carrying Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh's younger brother Shivpal Yadav and five others, had skidded off the secondary runway on Saturday morning after its landing gear broke when the aircraft touched down. The aircraft was then dragged on its belly for around 1,500-2,000 m and veered off the runway to end up in the grass. "It was a lucky escape for those on board, especially with the aircraft ending up in the grass. Had it continued on the runway, the aircraft would have definitely caught fire and then it would have been impossible for passengers to escape," said a source. A directorate general of civil aviation team inspected the site on Saturday. Airport sources said that on first look, it appeared to be a hard landing in which the pilot was probably unable to adjust the angle of the descent.
25/09/12 Neha Lalchandani/Times of India
