BackNon-adherence to SOP led to crash: AAIB
The report also notes the failure of the pilot in properly taking over controls and executing a ‘Go Around’
PremiumNEW DELHI : Non-adherence to standard operating procedures (SOPs) by the pilot in command led to the crash of the Air India Express Limited (AIXL) flight at Kozhikode during August 2020 that left 21 people, including two pilots, dead, according to the probe report by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau that was released late Saturday night.
“The probable cause of the accident was the non-adherence to SOP by the PF (Pilot Flying), wherein he continued an unstabilized approach and landed beyond the touchdown zone, halfway down the runway, despite a ‘Go Around’ call by PM (pilot monitoring or first officer) which warranted a mandatory ‘Go Around’," says the 257-page report on the incident prepared by a five-member team headed by Captain S.S. Chahar, a former designated examiner on Boeing 737NG, that was assigned to investigate the causes of the crash.
The report also notes the failure of the PM to take over controls and execute a ‘Go Around’.
“The investigation team is of the opinion that the role of systemic failures as a contributory factor cannot be overlooked in this accident," the report says.
It also highlights failures across several levels, including lack of effectiveness of Air India Express’ pilot training programme, deficiencies found during evaluation of simulators used by the airline to train its pilots, lack of supervision in training, operations, and safety practices at the airline, and failure by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to carry out frequent flying checks on sectors involving flights to critical airfields.
“A large number of similar accidents/incidents that have continued to take place, more so in AIXL (Air India Express), reinforce existing systemic failures within the aviation sector," the report says.
“These usually occur because of the prevailing safety culture that gives rise to errors, mistakes, and violation of procedures during routine tasks performed by people operating within the system. Hence, the contributory factors enumerated below include both the immediate causes and the deeper or systemic causes," it says.
Flight AXB 1344 from Dubai carrying 191 people, skidded off a wet runway while landing at Kozhikode airport on 7 August 2020. The aircraft had missed the first approach for landing and had done a go around of the airport. During the second approach, the aircraft overshot the table top runway and fell off.
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