DGCA Suspends Two GoAir Pilots For Failed Landing On Grass After Losing Visual Reference Before Touchdown

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has suspended two GoAir pilots for the failed landing of the Nagpur-Bengaluru flight on November 11 at the Bengaluru airport. According to a preliminary inquiry, the pilots had lost visual reference of the runway 50 feet before touch down. The pilots should have aborted the landing in such circumstances. They should have carried out a go-around instead.

The crew considered wrong visual reference as the centre line of the runway and consequently, manoeuvred the aircraft to the left of the runway at Bengaluru airport, an official said, terming it a ‘serious’ incident.

Therefore, after issuing a show-cause notice to the captain as well as the co-pilot, the aviation regulator suspended them for a period of six months and three months, respectively, from the date of the incident.

GoAir Kept The Flight Crew Off Flying Duty During Investigation

Earlier, GoAir had kept the flight crew off flying duty saying “safety of our passengers and crew is of paramount importance to GoAir and the airline is committed to all aspects of safety.”

On November 11, 2019, GoAir flight G8 811 from Nagpur to Bengaluru had carried out go around at Bengaluru and diverted to Hyderabad after veering off the runway onto a grass-covered strip on one side of the runway at Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru.

The incident was reported immediately to the DGCA – the industry regulator.

DGCA To Issue Notices To 100 GoAir Pilots, Senior Officials

The DGCA has started the process of issuing show-cause notices to approximately 100 pilots and senior executives of GoAir over alleged violation of flight duty time limit (FDTL) norms. According to a source, GoAir cancelled as many as 40 flights between December 23 and 24. During this period, it also reported air turn back of two of its aircraft due to engine glitches and they were later taken out of operations for further inspection.

The airline had said on December 26 that due to inclement weather in north India, it experienced extensive flight delays and diversions leading to the cancellation of flights as its crew approached its FDTL in the last two-three days.