New Delhi, In a recent incident, an Air India flight experienced a heavy landing in Dubai on December 20. Fortunately, the relatively young 5.5-year-old Airbus A320neo (VT CIQ) did not suffer structural damage during the landing, which reached 3.5 G. The pilot has been removed from flying duties, pending a thorough investigation.
The Airbus A320 remained grounded in Dubai for a week, undergoing extensive checks before being permitted to fly back to Air India’s engineering base in Mumbai. Flight tracking data revealed that the plane operated to Mumbai on December 27 at an altitude below 10,000 feet, indicating an unpressurized ferry for repairs.
An Air India spokesperson stated, “An investigation has already been initiated, as per DGCA norms. The pilot was appropriately trained and licensed to fly the aircraft. He has been off-rostered till the process of inquiry is on as per norms.”
The incident occurred during the aircraft’s operation as AI 933 from Kochi to Dubai. Subsequent flights have been halted as the airline awaits the results of the investigation. Seasoned pilots note that such heavy landings can exceed the manufacturer’s landing gear structural limitations, potentially causing extensive damage.
Major engineering investigations are required before an aircraft, subjected to a hard landing, is cleared for further revenue passenger flights. Aircraft-makers often allow a “substandard ferry back to the major engineering base” for such planes after analyzing digital flight data recorder (DFDR) information.
In this case, the A320 made a hard landing at an airport not belonging to Air India’s engineering base. Consequently, it flew to Mumbai at an altitude below 10,000 feet, indicating a non-pressurized cabin, for further assessment and repairs. The airline assures that safety measures and regulations are being followed in the ongoing inquiry.
