Air India asked to stop unauthorized entry into the cockpit

Lessons from the December 16, 2015 crash: Probe committee asks Air India to ban entry of unauthorized persons into cockpits, change its rostering system to ensure pilots have access to aircraft before take-off, and assign flight duties to off-duty pilots Asked to stop taking clearance. (AP)

The high-level committee probing the accident at the Mumbai airport has directed the airline to ban the entry of unauthorized persons into the cockpit and change its rostering system to give pilots access to aircraft. Prohibit off-duty pilots from taking flight clearance just before take off.

HT had first reported the probe on August 24 which blamed rostering lapses and pilot error for the December 16, 2015 crash. Taking lessons from the accident, the committee has asked AI to take strict steps to ensure the accident does not recur.

In serious violation of aviation rules and regulations, an off-duty AI pilot traveling to Hyderabad as a passenger had obtained flight clearance from Mumbai air traffic control. This was done because the pilots who were supposed to operate the Mumbai-Hyderabad flight had not reached the aircraft and were, in fact, still operating their previous Rajkot-Mumbai flight.

This was one of the many lapses on the ill-fated evening of 16 December.

“The ATC clearance has to be taken by the pilots who are flying and not by any passenger, even if he is a qualified pilot because the pilots who are going to fly have to understand the clearance. In fact, an off-duty pilot may not even be allowed inside the cockpit,” said an official

“AI staff-on-duty will issue circular to prevent pilots from obtaining flight clearance. The AI should instruct the cabin crew not to allow entry of unauthorized persons in the cockpit,” the committee said in its safety recommendations.

It has also asked the airline to issue guidelines that “the crew should board the aircraft 20 minutes before the actual departure and there should be a minimum time gap of 30 minutes in case of change of aircraft between two consecutive flights” and “crew Avoid “last minute changes”. Roasting”

The pilots arrived more than an hour late for the Hyderabad flight scheduled to depart at 7:30 p.m. The Rajkot flight was scheduled to arrive at 8.10 pm and reached only at 8.35 pm due to the delay.

“There was also a change in the aircraft. The pilots operated the Rajkot flight with an A320 aircraft, while for the Hyderabad flight, it was an A319 aircraft,” said the official.

“AI staff-on-duty will issue circular to prevent pilots from obtaining flight clearance. The AI should instruct the cabin crew not to allow entry of unauthorized persons in the cockpit,” the committee said in its safety recommendations.

It has also asked the airline to issue guidelines that “the crew should board the aircraft 20 minutes before the actual departure and there should be a minimum time gap of 30 minutes in case of change of aircraft between two consecutive flights” and “crew Avoid “last minute changes”. Roasting”

The pilots arrived more than an hour late for the Hyderabad flight scheduled to depart at 7:30 p.m. The Rajkot flight was scheduled to arrive at 8.10 pm and reached only at 8.35 pm due to the delay.

“There was also a change in the aircraft. The pilots operated the Rajkot flight with an A320 aircraft, while for the Hyderabad flight, it was an A319 aircraft,” said the official.

“Things were done in haste. After landing in Mumbai from Rajkot, the pilots were supposed to undergo a post-flight inspection and fill out the pilot’s sector and fault report. On the flight to Hyderabad, the pilots should have had time to prepare the cockpit, conduct an external inspection, conduct a pre-flight briefing, obtain ATC clearance, and then start the engines. It would have taken 30-40 minutes,” said another official.