A collision between Delhi-bound Spicejet aircraft and an Indigo flight was averted at Ahmedabad airport on Friday evening after a prompt instruction for the Air Traffic Controller.
The incident took place on February 24 evening when an Spicejet aircraft aborted its take off at the last minute as an IndiGo flight could not clear the runway due to the presence of rabbits on the strip.
“SpiceJet flight from Ahmedabad to Delhi, SG 912, was asked to enter backtrack runway and await departure clearance, pending runway clearance by an IndiGo flight. Once the IndiGo pilot confirmed to the Air Traffic Controller that the strip had been cleared, it allowed the flight to take off,” sources told PTI.
“However, seconds later, the controller noticed that the IndiGo flight had stopped on the exit taxi track with a portion of the aircraft still on the runway. This necessitated the ATC to advise SpiceJet to hold position, forcing the pilot to abort take-off at the last minute,”
IndiGo said its flight 6E-166 (Bengaluru-Ahmedabad) landed normally on Runway 23 at Ahmedabad. It was advised by the ATC to vacate via taxiway. As 6E-166 was vacating the strip, the flight crew observed some rabbits and stopped the aircraft, its nose in the taxiway and tail still on the runway,” IndiGo said in the statement.
The incident has been reported to DGCA and an inquiry has been initiated into the matter.
SpiceJet’s Delhi-bound aircraft had 142 passengers on board. IndiGo, however, did not share the number of passengers it was carrying on the plane.
SpiceJet’s Delhi-bound aircraft had 142 passengers on board. IndiGo, however, did not share the number of passengers it was carrying on the plane.
SpiceJet pilots followed the ATC instructions,” SpiceJet spokesperson said in a statement.
