More heads roll from Mumbai ATC over AI's landing goof-up

MUMBAI: Aviation regulator DGCA, probing the reported landing of an Air India flight from Abu Dhabi in the city last Friday without the ATC clearance, has derostered the surface movement controller and tower controller at the city airport following the preliminary report, sources said.


The pilot and co-pilot have already been taken off the roster by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) immediately after the incident was brought to its notice.

The surface movement controller and tower controller are part of the ATC (air traffic controller) set-up.

"The preliminary report has been submitted. Based on which both the surface movement controller and the tower controller have been derostered," DGCA sources said without divulging the content of the report.

Air India flight AI-744 from Abu Dhabi to Mumbai reportedly landed at the city airport on Friday morning without the requisite clearance from the ATC. Also, within 60 nautical miles of landing, the aircraft had changed its communication frequency against the procedure.

The aircraft and controllers communicate at different frequencies depending on the flight's descending height and every communication is recorded and saved. The aircraft can land only after getting a definite clearance from the ATC, which in this case had not allegedly happened.