Delhi: Patna-bound GoAir flight returns to IGI after bird-hit

The flight that was scheduled to leave Delhi at 10.25am finally left at 12.50pm and landed at 2.41pm

A Patna-bound GoAir plane carrying 174 passengers was forced to return to Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport on Saturday morning following a bird-strike soon after take-off. The passengers were later accommodated in another aircraft to Patna.

The plane was hit by a bird within minutes of its take-off from the runway at 11.18am, the airline said. (GoAir)

“The flight G8-140 from Delhi to Patna had a bird-hit as the aircraft was climbing after take-off. As a precautionary measure, the pilot decided to return the aircraft to Delhi for an inspection. All passengers were immediately accommodated in another aircraft to Patna,” a statement from the aircraft carrier said.

The plane was hit by a bird within minutes of its take-off from the runway at 11.18am. The airport operation control centre was informed and the aircraft landed again at the airport at 11.52am. In the process, the airline crew informed passengers about its return to Delhi due to the bird-strike.

The flight that was scheduled to leave Delhi at 10.25am finally left at 12.50pm and landed in Patna at 2.41pm.

On June 22 this year, airline regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation de-rostered two pilots and initiated an inquiry against them over allegations that they continued to fly the Delhi-Mumbai GoAir plane despite a bird-hit soon after taking off. The flight, carrying 155 passengers, returned to the airport 45 minutes after the take off.