Bengaluru: Microlight crash hushed up, DGCA clueless

BENGALURU: A microlight aircraft crash-landed on Saturday a few seconds after take off. The accident was hushed up and not reported to the Director General Civil Aviation (DGCA) or the police, the fire authorities or the Karnataka government as mandated by law.

What is worse is that the pilot and the owner clandestinely dismantled the aircraft and cleared it. The matter has now come to the notice of the DGCA which has launched an inquiry. DGCA Deputy Director V Narayan said, “Please give us details available with your newspaper regarding the incident.”

Strangely, the Government Flying Training School (GFTS) authorities claimed they did not know anything about it. Basava Reddy, Secretary, GFTS claimed ignorance about the incident. According to law, no aircraft can be removed from the Jakkur aerodrome without the permission from GFTS.

The blue-coloured microlight, with registration number VT-UMJ was attempting to take off on a sortie at 10.30 am on Saturday and within seconds crash-landed. The right wheel veered off as the aircraft taxied off the runway,  an eyewitness said.