Major Collision Averted at Mumbai Airport


PTI

Mumbai, Feb 9: It appears to be a goof-up by the Air Traffic Control in Mumbai which allowed a helicopter of President Pratibha Patil's fleet to land on the runway of the Mumbai airport even as an Air India plane was about to take off for Delhi from it.

However, a possible tragedy was avoided by the pilot of the Air India flight to Delhi, IC 866, who aborted take off when he saw the helicopter, which was not carrying the President on board, landing on the runway he was about to use, official sources said.

They said the Air Traffic Control had given clearance for the helicopter to land but simultaneously gave take off permission to the Air India flight.

The alertness of the pilot of the aircraft prevented a major disaster.

Meanwhile, an official spokesperson of the President said that "Everything is perfectly fine. The President was attending her normal functions."

Mumbai international aiport authorities did not comment on the incident, saying that, "this is purely an issue concerning the Mumbai Air Traffic Control, which had allowed both the landing and the take off."

A probe into the incident has been ordered by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, the sources said. The probe will be headed by Joint Director (Investigation), DGCA, A K Chopra, they said, adding that he would be reaching here from New Delhi to join the investigation.

Pilot of Airbus-321 Captain S S Kohli wondered how the chopper landed when he had been given a clearance by the ATC to take off. "The chopper just landed without taking a landing clearance. I cannot say much more," he said.

An IAF spokesman said in New Delhi, "the pilots of the chopper had followed the instructions from Bombay approach meticulously. The Presidential entourage was cleared to take off from INS Kunjali and land at Santa Cruz between two taxiways".

An inquiry has been ordered by the IAF into the incident, he said.

A passenger on board the Air India flight said, "We were going to Delhi and there were few second left for flying and at that time the chopper came from upper side.

"Emergency brakes were applied by the captain," he said, adding that the passengers saw the chopper which had the Indian flag embossed on it. 

  

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Comment on this article

  • RobertMathias, Mangalore/Kuwait

    Tue, Feb 10 2009

    Either the helicopter pilot was blindfolded or the air traffic controller was having a nap.In any case this is a case of total negligience.Shame on the corncerrned

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  • Siddique, Mangalore

    Tue, Feb 10 2009

    Thanks to almighty allha nobody was hurt. This incident is purely because of the  negligence of ATC.

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  • joe Gonsalves, Mangalore - U.S.A.

    Mon, Feb 09 2009

    It is providential that a major accident was avoided due to the alertness of the Air India pilot - Captain Kohli. However it is expedient that an inquiry be held so that blunders of the this kind are averted. Kudos to you Captain Kohli. You have saved the lives of several people. You need to be suitably rewarded for this act. Joe Gonsalves

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  • Lancy Moras, Jeddah Saudi Arabia

    Mon, Feb 09 2009

    Ah!!!!!! Indeed thanks to God the only Saviour of all mankind on this earth. Carelessness should be investigated by the concerned authrities and I will take this opportunity to very much appreciate the fortitude and luminocity shown by the pilot of Air India IC 866 and indeed hats off to him with thanks and acknowledgement - Lancy Moras, Ernst & Young, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

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  • george borromeo, angelore, mangalore

    Mon, Feb 09 2009

    A goof up which might have caused multi deaths should be treated very seriously.In my opinion definitely it is lack of coordination between Mumbai ATC (CIVIL),Defence Helicopter Pilot and Civil Air Bus Pilot. Unfortunately these so called enquiries will die a natural death after the inter blame game between Civil and Defence Authorities.

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  • FRANCIS D'SOUZA, MANGALORE -MULKI

    Mon, Feb 09 2009

    THANKS TO OUR ALMIGHTY GOD,HE IS THE ONLY TRUE CARE TAKER OF OUR LIVES,A LITTLE CARELESSNESS  MAKE MAJOR DISASTER.THANKS TO PILOT/CAPTAIN WHO WAS ON IC866, AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL NEED MORE ALERTNESS WHILE THEY GIVE CLEARANCE WHILE  LANDING AND TAKE OFF.

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