Pilot’s ‘lack of flying knowledge’ caused AI craft’s tail strike

The country’s aviation safety regulator has found that the tail strike of an Air India aircraft that was carrying 121 passengers from Ahmedabad to Mumbai on March 12 was caused due to the pilot’s “lack of flying knowledge”.

The country’s aviation safety regulator has found that the tail strike of an Air India aircraft that was carrying 121 passengers from Ahmedabad to Mumbai on March 12 was caused due to the pilot’s “lack of flying knowledge”.

HT Image

The passengers had a narrow escape when the aircraft’s tail hit the runway. The impact caused serious damage to the aircraft.

According to the report prepared by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the pilot tried to take-off after the plane had landed safely. This resulted in the plane’s tail banging on the airstrip and damaging it. “The pilot’s attempt to take-off after touching down safely indicates basic lack of flying technique,” said a senior DGCA official requesting anonymity.

The official added that pilots assess the accuracy of a safe landing on the basis of the runway view from the cockpit. “In this case the rear wheel touched down first followed by the nose wheel. But within seconds the nose wheel abnormally stood up resulting in the tail collision,” added the official.

The final probe report was submitted at the DGCA headquarters in Delhi last week. Senior officials are yet to decide the action to be taken against the pilot. DGCA chief Bharat Bhushan did not respond to HT’s phone calls and a text message. The regulator’s probe also found that the pilot took longer than normal to complete her command training owing to frequent safety lapses and inability to perform standard operation procedures. “The pilot’s training record shows that she was advised corrective action on many occasions,” said another DGCA official.