Daijiworld Media Network - Kochi (SP)

Kochi, May 11: A report filed by the directorate general of civil aviation has found that an Air India Express flight had landed in a drain here during the year 2017 on account of differences between its pilot and the co-pilot. Just like in some past cases where the senior pilots overlooked their juniors, in this case too other pilot neglected the suggestions put forth by the co-pilot who was much junior both in terms of service and age.

It has transpired that there was lack of understanding between the pilot in command, who was 59-year-old,   and the co-pilot, aged 28, and this was one of the contributing factors to the mishap which happened in September 2017.

The said flight operated by Air India Express, a B 737-800 aircraft from Abu Dhabi to Kochi, had landed at Kochi airport on September 4, 2017. When taxiing, the aircraft had taken a turn before reaching to the point of diversion on Taxiway, F. It had then plunged into a rainwater drain as a result of which three among the 108 passengers and crew in the aircraft had suffered minor injuries. The aircraft underwent major structural damage. Its nose landing gear, engine inlet cowls, fan cowls, engine strut, lower skin etc had been extensively damaged.

The new report filed by the directorate general of civil aviation points out that there was error of judgement on the part of the pilot in command when initiating left turn ahead of the taxi track link. It was night, and the rain had reduced visibility. Therefore the aircraft entered the open rainwater drain, it concludes. It says that some other reasons are low visibility during the rains in the window of circadian low of the pilot in command. It also says that the cockpit voice recorder showed that the co-pilot had alerted the pilot about the passing of taxiway - E and that the next one is F, duly asking the pilot to go slow on account of poor visibility of runway markings. He had suggested calling follow-me-jeep used to control ground traffic of aircrafts. The pilot did not respond. Again, when the aircraft took early diversion and entered the drain, the co-pilot had asked the pilot not to apply the throttle but the pilot went ahead and applied it three times in an effort to make the aircraft come out of the drain, but the plane remained stuck.

The pilot, it is said, explained that he had reached his hotel the day before late, and hence could not take a good sleep and therefore he was tired when landing at Kochi. He also blamed poor weather and confusing taxi track appearance for his incorrect assessment and judgement. There was heavy rainfall when the plane landed, and it changed into drizzle when it came to a halt. But neither the air traffic control (ATC) nor the meteorological office had issued any special weather reports or warnings. The ATC had given information to the pilot about the climatic condition before landing. The pilot and his deputy were together for the first time on Kochi-Abu Dhabi flight and were returning together on the return flight.

One of the safety recommendations contained in the said report to Air India Express is to ensure a balanced pairing of the crew to see that the age difference between them is not very wide and also in terms of experience and other factors they can reasonably relate to each other.