A major accident was averted on Monday after two Air India engineers forgot to remove pins from landing gear without which the wheels of the aircraft could have retracted.
The incident reportedly took place at the Indira Gandhi International Airport where an Air India aircraft was about to leave for Kochi. Due to the mistake, the pilots had to fly back to the airport , reports The Times of India.
Speaking to the newspaper, a source said," The plane was cleared to take off by engineering and when the wheels did not retract once in air, the pilots had to return to Delhi on an urgent basis. Delhi air traffic control ensured that the plane returned without any delay once the pilot indicate that he had to turn back."
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After the landing of the aircraft, it was found that the pin was not removed post examination. The matter was immediatey informed to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Subsequently, both the maintenance engineers were grounded.
Pins are used on extended landing gears when the aircraft is on the ground just like bricks are used for four wheelers parked on slope.
A senior Air India official confirmed that the engineers were busy in some other work and forgot to remove the pins.
This is not the first such case of negligence from the Air India staff.
In 2015, an aircraft technician was killed after getting sucked into the engine of an aircraft at the Chhatrapati Shivaji international airport.
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The mishap occurred when the co-pilot of Mumbai-Hyderabad flight 619 mistook a signal for starting the engine.
