A major accident was averted when an Indigo flight and a SpiceJet flight came closer facing each other on the same runway, at Delhi Airport on December 27, 2016. Due to miscommunication, both the flights came face to face on the same runway. Reports say that the Indigo flight had arrived from Lucknow and was moving towards the runway when it saw a SpiceJet aircraft taking off on the same runway.
The accident was averted when both the aircrafts moving towards each other applied brakes. The aircrafts had come as close as 40 meters when the brakes were applied. Sources have said that this was not the mistake of the pilots but a miscommunication with the Air Traffic Control and both the flights came face to face on the same runway.
Spicejet released a statement saying, “While taxiing, the SpiceJet crew observed another aircraft on the same taxiway in the opposite direction. Acting promptly, the SpiceJet crew immediately stopped the aircraft and intimated the ATC. Safety is of utmost and primary concern at SpiceJet. At no stage the safety of passengers, crew and aircraft was compromised. All concerned authorities were immediately informed”.
The Directorate General of the Civil Aviation (DGCA) ordered a probe in to the incident. Another incident took place in Goa when a Jet Airways flight skidded and took a 360 degree spin on the runway just before take-off. Some of the passengers were injured while being evacuated from the aircraft.
Photo Credits: indialivetoday
