MUMBAI- A major crash averted on Saturday (June 8, 2024) at Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (BOM).
IndiGo (6E) flight 6E5053 operated by A320neo from Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport (IDR) landed on Runway 27 while Air India (AI) flight AI657 operated by A320neo was still taking off for Thiruvananthapuram International Airport (TRV).
Crash Averted at Mumbai Airport
The video that was captured by Bright Mumbai’s planespotter Karan Bhanushali went viral (gathered millions of views if we count repost as well) on social media among the aviation community revealing that the Air India flight was still accelerating on the runway as the IndiGo flight descended.
IndiGo issued a statement on the incident and said, ‘On June 8, 2024, IndiGo flight from Indore to Mumbai was cleared by ATC to land at BOM. 6E pilots followed all the ATC’s instructions for approaching and then landing. We give primary focus to safety and have reported the incident to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
According to Aviation Journalist, Tarun Shukla, the DGCA has started an investigation into the incident, and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) is being sacked.
Aircraft and Flight Info
The Air India aircraft involved, VT-RTS, is a nearly new Airbus A320neo delivered to the Star Alliance carrier on March 7th of this year. It is configured in an all-economy class with 180 seats.
According to Flightradar24, VT-RTS was scheduled to depart from Mumbai to Thiruvananthapuram at 05:45. However, the flight was delayed and only pushed back from the gate at 06:15.
Although its expected arrival time at Thiruvananthapuram was 08:10, it arrived slightly early at 08:03. All times are local.
IndiGo flight 6E5053 operated by A320neo, registered as VT-ISV departed at 05:25, five minutes ahead of its scheduled 05:30 departure time. The flight traveled southwest and completed the journey in just 50 minutes.
On its approach to Mumbai, the flight descended from a cruising altitude of 32,000 feet and landed at 06:15, arriving about 25 minutes ahead of its scheduled 06:40 arrival time.
Expert Comment
After the video went viral, many aviation experts and enthusiasts jumped in to comment on what went wrong and who was at fault.
One pilot commented on Hirav Aero’s post, “Not bragging but I’ve done this once with landing clearance received at 60’. But this seems to be closer than that. There’s a NOTAM regarding “anticipated takeoff and landing clearances”
Another user wrote, “It was not an attempt, one aircraft landed while another one was on the runway. This is a serious incident that needs to be investigated.”
While some users said the IndiGo pilot did the right thing, “IMO, Indigo crew did the right thing. Had Air India aborted takeoff, they could have safely performed a go-around. Air India was past V1 by the time Indigo was committed. Had Indigo rejected the landing, there would have been two aircraft airborne, and nearby.”
Another user wrote, “Air traffic behavior will soon become like road traffic. With growing crowds, pilots will soon start squeezing the planes in tight/vacant spots.”
Honestly, I think the incident which could have resulted in a major crash if something had gone wrong with Air India aircraft must be investigated openly. ATCs at all the airports should be notified to avoid such close calls.
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