E-Paper
DGCA, Airbus to probe IndiGo engine failure at Patna airport
Airbus 320 aircraft has been grounded at Patna airport after Patna-Dehi IndiGo flight 6E-508, with 174 passengers on board, had to apply emergency brakes and abort take-off following an engine failure on June 30.
Patna French aircraft manufacturer Airbus and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will independently probe the engine failure of IndiGo aircraft (6E-508) at the Jay Prakash Narayan international airport, Patna, on June 30.
The teams were expected to arrive in Patna by next week after the airline submitted its report to the DGCA.
The air regulator and the Airbus authorities have not intimated the Airports Authority of India (AAI) about their proposed visit. “We are normally communicated at least a day prior to the team’s visit. We have not received any communication as yet,” said airport director Rajender Singh Lahauria.
“The manufacturers and the DGCA will independently probe the reasons of engine failure. The manufacturer will also evolve ways to ensure such snags do not recur. While suggesting precautions, it will also issue airworthiness directive,” said a DGCA official.
He said the engine would have to be replaced before the plane could resume operations.
Efforts to contact DGCA director (air safety), New Delhi, Maneesh Kumar, proved futile.
Airport sources said it was prima facie a mechanical failure, as the turbine blade of the jet cracked, stalling the aircraft’s left engine.
As many as 174 passengers, bound for Delhi, had a miraculous escape after pilots detected that the left engine was spewing smoke, as the plane began its take-off run. The pilots applied emergency brakes and aborted take-off, having completed one-third of the 2072-metre runway. An emergency evacuation was completed within 60 seconds.
The aircraft, grounded since the incident, has been parked on bay number 3. This has led to occasional congestion, as the effective number of parking bays had reduced from five to three to cater to 66 commercial aircraft movement of 33 scheduled flights in a day. Given the space crunch at the airport, bay 2 is earmarked for smaller chartered aircraft like Dornier, while bays 1, 4 and 5 are for commercial aircraft like Boeing 737 or Airbus 320.
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Pilots had detected left engine spewing smoke as the plane, carrying 174 passengers, began its take-off run. They aborted take off and emergency evacuation was done within 60 seconds
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The manufacturers and DGCA will independently probe reasons of engine failure. The manufacturer will also evolve ways to ensure such snags do not recur. Suggesting precautions, it will also issue airworthiness directive
A DGCA official
