Delhi plane collision: DGCA takes action, ‘deroster’ air traffic controller, SpiceJet pilots

THE Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said that an air traffic controller and SpiceJet pilots were “derostered” pending investigation in the Akasa Air-SpiceJet incident at the Delhi airport on Thursday.

On Thursday afternoon, a SpiceJet plane, taxiing towards the parking, hit an Akasa Air flight, which was taxiing for takeoff at the moment.

Akasa Air said its flight QP 1406, operating from Delhi to Hyderabad, had to return to the bay, while SpiceJet was operating from Leh to Delhi.

According to PTI, the incident happened around 2.15 pm at Terminal 1 of the airport on Thursday.

Preliminary information indicates that Akasa Air's aircraft was stationary when another airline's aircraft made contact with it, Akasa Air said in a statement.

Damage

Wings of an Akasa Air plane and a SpiceJet plane came into contact on the taxiway at Delhi airport, resulting in damage.

In a statement, SpiceJet said its Boeing 737-700 aircraft was involved in a “ground occurrence” while taxiing at the Delhi airport, resulting in “damage to its right winglet and the left-hand horizontal stabiliser of another aircraft belonging to a different airline.”

Meanwhile, the DGCA said the winglet of SpiceJet's Boeing 737-700 aircraft, VT-SLB, taxiing in the allocated parking bay after operating flight SG 124 (Leh-Delhi), hit the Horizontal Tail Surface (HTS) of Akasa Boeing 737 plane positioned on the apron after pushback for operating flight on sector (Delhi-Hyderabad).

“Due to impact, RH winglet of the Spicejet aircraft and the HTS of Akasa Air aircraft were damaged,” the watchdog said in a statement.

A SpiceJet Boeing aircraft clipped its right winglet after colliding with the wing of a stationary Akasa Air plane while taxiing at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi on Thursday.  

Citing preliminary information, officials told PTI that the wings of both aircraft came in contact on the taxiway.

Details about the number of passengers onboard the two planes could not be ascertained. However, Akasa Air informed that all passengers and crew were safely disembarked, and “our ground teams are making alternative arrangements to fly our passengers to Hyderabad at the earliest.”

DGCA launches probe

The DGCA further informed that it is investigating the incident.

In an updated statement, the watchdog said the air traffic controller concerned and the involved pilots of SpiceJet were off-rostered pending investigation.