ACCIDENTS BECAUSE OF IGNORING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR AIR-SAFETY ARE KILLING BY SYSTEM
Bureau,Odishabarta
DELHI:It refers to unfortunate crash-landing of Air India Express aircraft Boeing-737 at Kozhikode (Kerala) in evening of 07.08.2020 because of skidding of the unlucky aircraft in heavy rains from the table-top runway. Accident was a repeat of similar accident on 22.05.2010 at Mangalore airport of Karnataka under the same circumstances with exception that fortunately there was no fire in crash-landing on 07.08.2020 unlike to the one at Mangalore airport a decade back taking many lives. Big question is why aircrafts are allowed to land in such heavy rain especially on table-top runways that too in bad light conditions. Air Control Tower must not allow landing in such circumstances even if pilot may be confident of safe landing.
It is even more regretting that recommendations of committees about table-top runways are not met fully. Despite table-top runways being risky, even newly constructed Kannur airport has table-top runways. Directorate General of Civil Aviation should issue urgent guidelines on use of table-top runways in the country, and should not allow any further construction of table-top runway except for requirement of Air Force planes.
Input;Subash Agarwal
