Mangalore plane crash: DGCA issues circular with safety norms

Mangalore plane crash: DGCA issues circular with safety norms

Mangalore Today News Network

August 11: The norm that the first officer should take over the controls and perform the required action in case the flight commander fails to respond to a situation demanding a go-around isn’t new. On the contrary, it is a standard operating procedure in airlines. However, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has emphasized the norm in a circular.

Although the circular doesn’t put it in black and white, the breaking of this norm was one of the factors responsible for the tragic Mangalore plane crash of May 22. The flight commander ignored the co-pilots call for a go-around, the co-pilot did not take over the controls, owing to which the ill-fated Boeing 747 crashed into Kenjar Valley, killing 158 passengers and crew.

A go-around is a safety airlines procedure, which requires the flight commander or the co-pilot to discontinue a landing that is unstable owing to high rate of descent, wind constantly changing direction, poor weather, and high speed. In such cases, the first officer or the co-pilot has to call for a go-around, which the flight commander has to obey.  

The DGCA has issued its operation circular 15 on Aug 5 to highlight the steps to be taken by the co-pilot in case of unsafe flying conditions.