Latest news with #Flight6E-2142
NDTV
23-05-2025
- Climate
- NDTV
Pak Denies Help, Plane Dives 8,500 Ft/Minute: Inside IndiGo's Mid-Air Ordeal
New Delhi: A domestic flight from Delhi to Srinagar went through a chaotic situation on Wednesday, after the IndiGo aircraft encountered a violent hailstorm and severe turbulence, triggering multiple warnings, an 8,500-feet-per-minute descent, and a denied request for emergency passage through Pakistani airspace. According to an initial report from the civil aviation watchdog Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the flight, IndiGo A321neo aircraft operating as Flight 6E-2142, carrying more than 220 passengers, including members of Parliament, was cruising at 36,000 feet when it ran into unanticipated adverse weather near Pathankot, close to the India-Pakistan border. Request To Deviate Denied According to the crew's post-flight statement submitted to the DGCA, the flight team identified significant bad weather ahead and made an urgent request to the Indian Air Force's Northern Control for a deviation towards the left, which would have taken the aircraft briefly into Pakistani airspace. That request was denied. Subsequently, the flight crew contacted Lahore Air Traffic Control directly, seeking clearance to enter Pakistani airspace for a short period to avoid the storm system. This request too was declined. With limited options and a fast-approaching thunderstorm, the pilots initially considered a return to Delhi. However, by then, the aircraft was already too close to the approaching clouds. Weighing the proximity and potential hazards, the crew decided to penetrate the weather head-on to proceed toward Srinagar. Inside The Storm Once inside the thunderstorm, the aircraft experienced severe hail impact and violent turbulence. Several critical systems began flagging malfunctions. DGCA's preliminary assessment confirms that the aircraft suffered Angle Of Attack (AOA) fault while alternate law protection was lost. These failures were triggered by the aircraft's flight control systems as the plane was tossed vertically by intense updrafts and downdrafts. Amid this chaos, the autopilot disengaged. The crew was forced to assume full manual control under rapidly fluctuating airspeed indications and extreme stress. At one point, the aircraft entered a steep descent, recording a rate of 8,500 feet per minute. Compounding the crisis were multiple stall warnings and alerts indicating the aircraft was nearing its Maximum Operating Speed and Mach number. The pilots, relying on manual flying skills, kept the jet stable until it emerged from the weather system. The aircraft continued toward Srinagar on the same heading to exit the storm in the shortest possible time. Warnings Explained An Angle of Attack (AoA) sensor fault, possibly from hail or ice, can disrupt the stall warning system, which alerts pilots with lights, sounds, or vibrations when the wing's angle to the airflow risks a stall, where the plane loses lift and control. In this situation, the Airbus A321's fly-by-wire system switched to Alternate Law, disabling protections like stall and overspeed safeguards. Alternate Law is a degraded flight control mode in Airbus fly-by-wire systems where certain automated protections, like stall and overspeed safeguards, are disabled, requiring more direct pilot control. Unreliable airspeed readings, likely from blocked pitot tubes (which measure airspeed), triggered repeated stall and maximum speed warnings. Amid severe turbulence, the A321 descended rapidly at 8,500 feet per minute at one stage, far exceeding the typical 1,500-3,000 feet per minute for a standard approach. With the autopilot system having tripped, the pilots manually flew the jetliner into Srinagar, declaring an emergency and made a safe landing. The Landing Upon stabilisation, the crew completed all Electronic Centralised Aircraft Monitoring (ECAM) checklist actions and declared a "PAN PAN" - the international standard urgency signal that someone aboard a vehicle uses to declare an emergency. Srinagar ATC guided the flight through its final descent. Despite earlier system malfunctions, the aircraft landed safely in Srinagar without further incident. Damage Assessment Following landing, a standard post-flight walk-around inspection revealed significant damage to the aircraft's nose cone, specifically the radome, which houses weather radar and is vulnerable to hail impact. There were no injuries reported among passengers or crew. The DGCA has confirmed that the incident is under formal investigation. Technical teams from IndiGo and the regulator are currently assessing both flight data and cockpit voice recordings. Passengers On Board Among the passengers on board was a five-member delegation from the Trinamool Congress (TMC), including MPs Derek O'Brien, Nadimul Haque, Manas Bhunia, Mamata Thakur, and party spokesperson Sagarika Ghose. "It was a near-death experience," Ms Ghose said after landing. "People were screaming, praying, panicking. Hats off to the pilot who brought us through." Her description matched video footage from inside the cabin that has since surfaced on social media. Passengers were seen gripping seats, many visibly distressed, some praying. IndiGo confirmed in a statement that the aircraft was undergoing mandatory inspections and maintenance before being cleared for further operations.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Horrified Passengers Can Be Heard Screaming on Plane That Flies Through a Violent Hail and Lightning Storm: Video
A flight carrying 227 passengers from New Delhi flew through hail and a lightning storm Passengers, including children, can be heard screaming as the cabin violently shakes in a video of the incident Though the flight was declared an emergency, they were able to land safelyPassengers of IndiGo Flight 6E-2142 experienced a terrifying mid-flight weather attack that was caught on camera by a fellow traveler. On Wednesday, May 21, Airbus A321, carrying 227 passengers, from New Delhi en route Srinagar, India, flew through hail and a lightning storm, suffering strong turbulence that violently shook the cabin. In the video of the incident, passengers, including children, can be heard screaming in fear as the cabin violently shakes around them and flashes of the lightning shown through the windows. Some of the passengers can be seen grabbing on to the back of the chairs in front of them, bracing for any sort of impact. According to South West News Service, about 90 minutes after departing, the pilot informed Srinagar's Air Traffic Control of the extreme weather conditions in anticipation of the flight's arrival. Though the flight was declared an emergency by the pilot, they were able to land safely close to its expected arrival time around 6:30 p.m. local time. No injuries were reported. However, the aircraft itself did suffer a lot of damage. The airline hasn't confirmed the extent of the overall damage. However, a now-viral image on X, formerly known as Twitter, shows a hollowed-out hole in the nose of the plane. According to a local news outlet, the flight crew followed all of the accurate procedures and protocol to keep the passengers safe. The aircraft has since been grounded at Srinagar Airport for repair and thorough inspection. For these passengers, the disruption happened on the outside, however, for a few equally terrified and confused Delta passengers last month, the destruction was on the inside. During Delta Flight 2417, from Atlanta to Chicago, three passengers held up a falling ceiling panel above their heads for around 10 to 15 minutes. When the flight attendants and a traveling engineer investigated the situation, the engineer determined that a screw or bolt was missing. In attempts of a temporary fix, another passenger offered a roll of bright yellow scotch tape from their carry-on. According to PEOPLE, one of the passengers who assisted in holding up the panel was doing so for at least 30 to 45 minutes. In a statement shared with PEOPLE, a Delta spokesperson says, 'Delta thanks our customers for their patience and cooperation. We apologize for the delay in their travels.' They also mentioned that the Boeing 717 plane returned to were back to to: due to cabin maintenance,' adding that the 'flight continued with bout a two-hour delay on another aircraft.' Read the original article on People
