DELHI- India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has suspended the licenses of the pilot-in-command (PIC) and the co-pilot of an IndiGo (6E) Airbus A321 (VT-IMW) for their involvement in a tail strike incident during landing at Ahmedabad on June 15, 2023.
The PIC’s license has been suspended for three months, while the co-pilot’s license has been suspended for a month.
DGCA suspended IndiGo Pilots license
The suspension came after a thorough examination of the tail strike incident, which involved the aircraft’s aft fuselage making contact with the runway during landing.
The DGCA investigation revealed that the crew had deviated from established Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) while performing the landing.
A senior DGCA official said, “On June 15, 2023, an Airbus A321 aircraft experienced a tail strike during landing at Ahmedabad. DGCA’s investigation pointed to a violation of SOPs by the crew, leading to this incident.
Consequently, show cause notices were issued to both crew members.”
Tail Strike Incident
A tail strike is statistically more likely to occur during landing, as the aviation website Skybrary explains. While human error is the primary cause of tail strikes, environmental factors like strong gusty winds can increase the risk.
The DGCA official further stated, “After examining the responses from the pilots and considering the relevant facts, the PIC’s license has been suspended for three months, and the co-pilot’s license has been suspended for one month due to their violation of Civil Aviation Requirements and SOPs.”
IndiGo has faced a total of eight tail strikes since April, prompting DGCA chief Vikram Dev Dutt to issue a show-cause notice to the airline, addressing this matter of air safety.
The DGCA’s decision to suspend the pilots’ licenses serves as a reminder of the importance of adhering to established safety procedures and regulations, ensuring the highest standards of aviation safety are maintained.
In Article Images Credit: Harsh Tekriwal (@avgeekwithlens) • Instagram photos and videos
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