Indigo Flight News: DGCA suspends IndiGo pilots’ licences for tail strike during landing at Ahmedabad | India News

NEW DELHI: After examining the tail strike of an IndiGo Airbus A321 (VT-IMW) during landing at Ahmedabad on June 15, 2023, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has suspended the licence of this flight’s pilot-in-comand (PIC) for three month and the co-pilot’s for a month. The regulator had issued show cause to the pilots on this incident and has found “violation of the provisions of the relevant (rules)” by the crew that had led to the same.

“On June 15, 2023, an Airbus 321 aircraft was involved in a tail strike while landing at Ahmedabad. DGCA investigation revealed the crew carried out the landing in deviation of established SOPs (standard operating procedures). Accordingly, both the crew members were issued a show cause notice by DGCA,” a senior DGCA official said.
A tail strike occurs when the aft fuselage (tail) of an aeroplane comes in contact with the runway during either takeoff or landing. According to aviation website Skybrary, statistically the majority of tail strikes occur on landing. “Tail strikes most often occur as a result of human error although environmental factors, such as strong gusty winds, can increase the potential for an event,” Skybrary says.

The DGCA official said: “After examination of their replies and relevant facts of the matter, the license of the PIC has been suspended for a period of three months and co-pilot has been suspended for a period of one month for violation of the provisions of the relevant Civil Aviation Requirements and SOPs,” the official added.
Since last April, IndiGo has seen at least eight tail strikes. DGCA chief Vikram Dev Dutt has earlier this month issued a show-cause notice to IndiGo on this air safety issue.