DGCA suspects tech error behind false hijack alarm
The incident occurred at 8.40 pm on January 27 when Air India flight AI 2957, carrying 126 passengers, transmitted a “squawk 7500” code
India’s aviation regulator suspects a technical fault caused a false hijack alarm on an Air India flight last month, triggering an emergency response at two of the country’s busiest airports, two senior officials have said.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) believes the incident was likely caused by a transponder malfunction on the Mumbai-bound flight from New Delhi, according to officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The Indian Air Force, which first detected the alarm, has submitted its report indicating a technical error, one of the officials said.
“As of now it’s appearing to be an error in codes,” a ministry official confirmed.
Also Read | DGCA seeks response from Air India after minister gets ‘broken seat’
The incident occurred at 8.40 pm on January 27 when Air India flight AI 2957, carrying 126 passengers, transmitted a “squawk 7500” code shortly after take-off from New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi Airport. The emergency signal remained active for three minutes.
In aviation, transponders use four-digit codes ranging from 0000 to 7777 to identify aircraft to air traffic control. The code 7500 specifically indicates a hijacking attempt, while 7600 signals radio failure and 7700 denotes a general emergency.
Despite the pilot’s immediate notification that it was a false alarm, authorities were compelled to follow full emergency protocols. “How can air traffic control assume that the pilot is not being pressured? What if he is at gunpoint?” explained a former air traffic control official, speaking on background.
The procedures included the formation of a central committee in Delhi comprising the police, the Central Industrial Security Force, the Airports Authority of India, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, and the Air Force.
In Mumbai, where the flight landed at 9.47 pm, authorities declared a full emergency around 9.30 pm, deploying the National Security Guard, local police, and other stakeholders.
The aircraft was directed to an isolation bay upon landing, where passengers were only permitted to disembark after an hour-long security verification.
“The pilot repeatedly insisted that the plane had not been hijacked and that it had been a regular flight,” a Mumbai airport official said.
An Air India official familiar with the incident said at the time there was “no indication of any crew involvement,” suggesting a technical malfunction. Air India did not respond to requests for comment.
“Overlapping of codes is a rare phenomenon,” a former Airports Authority of India official said. “However, the reason for the code sent to air traffic control needs to be thoroughly investigated.”
The DGCA has requested a detailed report from the AAI about the incident. The aviation regulator declined to comment when contacted by HT.
Aviation experts said more scrutiny may be needed. “The incident can be possible either when someone accidentally entered the code wrong or if there is a technical issue with the transponder of the aircraft. The code in the ATC system will only reflect what the aircraft sends,” said aviation expert Mohan Ranganathan.
“The pilots seem void of folly as the airline would have evaluated the FDR (flight data recorder — a device that records various flight details like speed, altitude, engine performance, and pilot’s actions). However, a technical glitch or a malfunction seems like a remote possibility,” a former AAI official said, adding: “The incident needs a thorough study”.
Despite repeated attempts, an Air India spokesperson remained unavailable for comment.
Also Read | DGCA phased rollout: More rest for pilots, tighter limits for night
Aviation experts, however, raised questions about technical issues being the reason for the false alarm.
“The incident can be possible either when someone accidentally entered the code wrong or if there is a technical issue with the transponder of the aircraft. The code in the ATC system will only reflect what the aircraft sends,” said aviation expert Mohan Ranganathan.
“The pilots seem void of folly as the airline would have evaluated the FDR (flight data recorder — a device that records various flight details like speed, altitude, engine performance and pilot’s actions). However, a technical glitch or a malfunction seems like a remote possibility,” a former AAI official said. “The incident needs a thorough study,” he added.
