‘Violation of standard airworthiness…': Days before Air India crash, DGCA warned airline of breaching safety rules on Airbus aircraft: Report
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation had issued a warning to Air India regarding safety protocol violations, as three of the airline's Airbus aircraft continued operations despite pending inspections of emergency systems.
The regulatory body also criticised the airline's delayed response in addressing these concerns, according to a Reuters report.
It's important to note that these
warning notices and an investigation report are not related to the Air India AI 171 Boeing 787 crash that happened on June 12.
These communications and warnings by DGCA were given to Air India days before the crash.
What DGCA warned Air India about
The aviation regulator's report quoted in the Reuters report revealed that during May inspections, three Air India Airbus aircraft were found operating with overdue mandatory checks on escape slides, which are vital emergency equipment.
An Airbus A320 aircraft's inspection was conducted on May 15, more than a month behind schedule. During this period, AirNav Radar tracking showed the aircraft served international routes including Dubai, Riyadh and Jeddah.
The findings also highlighted that an Airbus A319, used for domestic flights, had checks delayed by over three months, whilst another aircraft's inspection was conducted two days late.
The DGCA report said: "The above cases indicate that aircraft were operated with expired or unverified emergency equipment, which is a violation of standard airworthiness and safety requirements."
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The regulator noted that Air India "failed to submit timely compliance responses" to identified deficiencies, "further evidencing weak procedural control and oversight."
The airline, acquired by the Tata Group in 2022 from the government, responded that it was "accelerating" the verification of all maintenance records, including escape slide dates, with completion expected within days.
The carrier clarified that in one instance, the issue was discovered when an AI Engineering Services engineer accidentally deployed an escape slide during maintenance work.
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Safety checks on emergency escape slides are crucial, as their malfunction during accidents could result in grave consequences, according to Vibhuti Singh, who previously served as a legal expert at the government's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau.
The aviation regulator DGCA said that aircraft failing to undergo mandatory inspections would have their airworthiness certificates considered suspended.
Documentation reveals that Animesh Garg, who holds the position of deputy director of airworthiness in the Indian government, dispatched the warning notices and reports to Air India's CEO Campbell Wilson and other senior officials, including the continuing airworthiness manager, quality manager and head of planning.
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A legal specialist in aviation matters indicated that such violations typically result in financial and civil penalties for both the company and individual executives.
In a previous statement to Reuters, Wilson acknowledged that whilst global parts shortages affected the industry broadly, Air India faced greater challenges due to its older fleet, with numerous aircraft remaining unmodernised since their delivery in 2010-2011.
Aviation authorities across the globe, including India's regulatory body, impose penalties on airlines for breaching compliance requirements. In February, the government informed parliament about 23 instances where airlines faced warnings or penalties for safety violations in the previous year.
Air India and Air India Express accounted for twelve of these violations, with one case involving "unauthorised entry into the cockpit". The carrier faced its heftiest penalty of $127,000 for insufficient oxygen supplies during a San Francisco-bound flight.
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