2 more pilots suspended for overshooting Mumbai airport runway

The DGCA’s preliminary investigation into the incident revealed that flight SG 6248, operating between Coimbatore and Mumbai, touched down approximately 4,462ft from the runway threshold, resulting in the aircraft overshooting the runway.

The two pilots operating SpiceJet’s Coimbatore-Mumbai flight, which overshot Mumbai airport’s secondary runway on July 2, have been suspended for a year by aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

The two pilots operating SpiceJet’s Coimbatore-Mumbai flight, which overshot Mumbai airport’s secondary runway on July 2, have been suspended for a year by aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (PTI)

The DGCA’s preliminary investigation into the incident revealed that flight SG 6248, operating between Coimbatore and Mumbai, touched down approximately 4,462ft from the runway threshold, resulting in the aircraft overshooting the runway. The incident had taken place on the airport’s secondary runway.

The main runway could not be used at the time because a few hours earlier, SpiceJet’s Jaipur-Mumbai flight had overshot the runway.

The Boeing B737 floated for a long time over the runway before landing, the DGCA’s investigation revealed. SG 6248 stopped on the runway end surface area (RESA) and could taxi to the bay on its own.

Following the incident, the DGCA had conducted an unplanned surveillance after the incident, visiting SpiceJet’s training centres and offices.

The surveillance covered aircrew training and flight operations, flight operational quality assurance (FOQA) and implementation of safety management system after which it issued show cause notice to four SpiceJet executives for taking no action against deficiencies.

Show-cause notices were issued to the pilots — captain Karun Gujral and captain Arpit Gandhi —on July 4 and the DGCA found their responses unsatisfactory.

On Friday, they were suspended for a year. Since July, 10 pilots employed by SpiceJet have been suspended by the DGCA.

Officials from SpiceJet did not respond to queries at the time of this story going to press.