An aircraft just escapes from landing on the roads of Pink city

Yes, you heard it right!

Several passengers travelling in an Indigo flight were endangered when the flight was about to land on the road instead of landing on runway of the Jaipur airport.

The incident took place on 27 February 2016 when pilots of Indigo Flight 6E237 coming from Ahmedabad were going to land the aircraft on the road going parallel mistaking it as runway.

The distance of aircraft from road was just about 900 feet or less than 1.5 minutes from touchdown. Suddenly, the airport controller got surprised on seeing the landing movement of aircraft towards road. Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS) boomed in cockpit hearing which the pilots also got alert. They immediately took the flight back in the sky and landed the flight safely after a go-around.

Airport authorities reported the matter to Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). DGCA initiated the inquiry against the pilots and the Indigo Airlines. After completing the inquiry, a reasonable opportunity of being heard was given to both the pilots and the airlines but they could not provide any satisfactory reply. So DGCA has suspended the license of both the pilots deeming them as guilty of the fault.

A incident of same kind took place in past also

It is not for the first time that negligence of the pilots has come into limelight. About 2.5 years ago, at the time of landing of Air India flight at Jaipur Airport, a wheel of the aircraft got down from runway due to which the aircraft was completely damaged. 

Airport authorities have been instructed to monitor and control obstructions around airport and to give no objection certificate for construction of roads after examining all the relevant facts.  Also pilots have been given various communication, navigation and surveillance facilities. Ministry of aviation should closely monitor this type of incidents and concerned airlines should also be penalized for the incident.