Risky takeoff: Jet grounds 2 pilots
In a serious development, after a complaint to India by British authorities, aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has grounded two Jet Airways pilots who took off from London’s Heathrow airport at a very low altitude.
The Jet Airways flight took off from London on August 30 for Mumbai. The Indian aviation authorities are now probing the incident.
Apparently, locals in London noticed the low-flying aircraft and alerted the London Police, which took up the matter with the civil aviation authorities there. British authorities then informed India about the incident. “The two pilots have been grounded,” DGCA sources said.
In a statement, Jet Airways said, “The subject incident did not have any damage to aircraft or property, nor injuries to crew members or guests on board. We are investigating the matter brought to our attention.”
The probe will apparently look into how close the airborne aircraft was to the airport boundary wall after it took off and how much of the runway it used for the takeoff. Sources said the aircraft seemed to have positioned itself in an unsafe altitude after the takeoff.
Sources said the probe in India will be conducted by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau. Passengers in the flight were obviously not aware of the danger they may have been exposed to — on account of the low-flying aircraft. The probe is expected to examine how close the aircraft was over striking any obstruction at or near the London airport, which would have resulted in a disaster.