Air India plane hits parked cooling unit at airport

New Delhi: A mishap was averted after an Air India flight hit ground cooling unit truck on its way to the taxi bay at Delhi airport just after landing on the runway. The incident took place around 9.44 pm on Friday night.

“It was learnt from Airport Operation Comm-and Centre that at about 9.44 pm on Thursday night, an Air India flight arrived from Vadodara was slightly hit by cooling unit (generator vehicle). The said flight landed on runway number 29 and was parked at aerobridge number 33. On further inquiry, it was learnt that on arrival of the flight a cooling unit was parked near the right engine of it, when it was started for supplying cooling by operator. The said vehicle mov-ed ahead due to vibration as its stopper was not pla-ced properly and slightly hit the right engine.” 

The truck was carrying a ground-based cooling unit used to regulate temperature inside an aircraft when it is not in motion.

Air India has constituted a two-member high-level committee to investigate the incident and will submit its report within seven days, an airline spokesperson said.

The incident happened Friday night and all the passengers were reported safe. Earlier on August 9, an Ethiopian Airline’s plane, carrying 196 passengers, hit a parked Air India aircraft at 2.25 am at the airport. The Ethiopian Airlines’ plane was parked at bay No. 87 and was being pushed back by a tractor when the incident took place.

The engines of both the aircraft were shut when the wing of the Ethiopian plane’s wing crashed into the wing of Air India plane.