DGCA suspends two SpiceJet pilots for unsafe landing at Mangaluru

Civil Aviation regulator DGCA on Thursday suspended two SpiceJet pilots for four and a half months for the unsafe landing of an aircraft on the tabletop runway at the Mangaluru airport in October last year, “jeopardising the safety of the aircraft and the passengers”.

The SpiceJet flight from Dubai to Mangaluru had an unstabilised landing at the airport which is located on the top of a hill and surrounded by gorges and tropical forests on either side.

The suspension of both the pilots is for 135 days from the day of the incident – October 31, 2019.

Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued show-cause notices to the pilot-in-command and the first officer of the flight, replies to which were found not satisfactory.

“Delayed corrective input by the crew after touchdown led the aircraft deviating further left and jeopardiszing the safety of the aircraft and the passengers,” the DGCA found.

An investigation by the civil aviation regulator found that the aircraft had touched down the left of the centreline and deviated further to the left and the delayed corrective input by the crew led to the damage to three runway edge lights.

The runway at the Mangaluru airport is just 30 metres away from the gorge.