The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has ordered action against Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) and its staff for lapses in allocation of a proper aircraft parking stand, which led to an Ethiopian aircraft striking the wing-tip sharklets of an Air India A320 in the national capital last August.
In its 23-page investigation report, inquiry officer R. Rajendran has concluded that the most probable cause of the incident reported on August 8, 2017 was improper stand allocation made by aerodrome personnel without following Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for Air India’s aircraft. The report also noted that the non-availability of wing-walkers during push-back of the Ethiopian aircraft as a contributory factor. Staff of the ground handling agency, Celebi Aviation, were also ticked off for failing to take note of the non-availability of the wing-walkers.
In its safety recommendations, the DGCA suggested taking necessary action on DIAL personnel, and providing corrective training to Celebi’s Head Set Operator.
