 "IndiGo aircraft lands before AI plane could take off at Mumbai airport")
New Delhi, June 9: A major accident was averted at Mumbai airport on Saturday evening when an IndiGo plane landed on the runway just behind an Air India plane that was moving to take off.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has started a probe into this incident. Moreover, it has derostered the air traffic control officer (ATCO) involved, a senior official stated.
In a statement, IndiGo said its flight 6E 6053 from Indore was given landing clearance by Air Traffic Control (ATC) on Saturday at Mumbai airport. "The pilot in command continued the approach and landing and followed ATC instructions. At IndiGo, passenger safety is paramount to us, and we have reported the incident as per procedure," it added.
The IndiGo A320neo aircraft (registered as VT-ISV) landed on the Mumbai airport runway at 6:16 PM on Saturday. However, aviation industry sources mentioned that an Air India A320neo (VT-RTS), bound for Thiruvananthapuram, was already on the runway and in the process of taking off when the IndiGo plane touched down. The Air India plane took off and the IndiGo aircraft safely completed its landing.
An ATC tower at an airport is a facility that coordinates and manages the safe takeoff, landing, and ground movement of aircraft. The ATC has to ensure there is sufficient horizontal and vertical separation between planes in the airspace. In India, all ATC towers -- except those controlled by the defence forces -- are handled by the government-run Airports Authority of India (AAI).
The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) had on February 15 directed the Adani Group-run Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL), which operates the airport in the financial capital, to cancel a certain number of flights as they were facing delays due to congestion in its airspace.
On February 28, the MoCA said the delays in flight arrivals have reduced significantly at Mumbai airport after the congestion-induced cancellations, which have taken place from February 15 onwards.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has started a probe into this incident. Moreover, it has derostered the air traffic control officer (ATCO) involved, a senior official stated.
In a statement, IndiGo said its flight 6E 6053 from Indore was given landing clearance by Air Traffic Control (ATC) on Saturday at Mumbai airport. "The pilot in command continued the approach and landing and followed ATC instructions. At IndiGo, passenger safety is paramount to us, and we have reported the incident as per procedure," it added.
The IndiGo A320neo aircraft (registered as VT-ISV) landed on the Mumbai airport runway at 6:16 PM on Saturday. However, aviation industry sources mentioned that an Air India A320neo (VT-RTS), bound for Thiruvananthapuram, was already on the runway and in the process of taking off when the IndiGo plane touched down. The Air India plane took off and the IndiGo aircraft safely completed its landing.
An ATC tower at an airport is a facility that coordinates and manages the safe takeoff, landing, and ground movement of aircraft. The ATC has to ensure there is sufficient horizontal and vertical separation between planes in the airspace. In India, all ATC towers -- except those controlled by the defence forces -- are handled by the government-run Airports Authority of India (AAI).
The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) had on February 15 directed the Adani Group-run Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL), which operates the airport in the financial capital, to cancel a certain number of flights as they were facing delays due to congestion in its airspace.
On February 28, the MoCA said the delays in flight arrivals have reduced significantly at Mumbai airport after the congestion-induced cancellations, which have taken place from February 15 onwards.