Two training aircrafts crash in a single day, India's aviation watchdog orders audit

Two training aircraft were involved in separate non-fatal accidents in India due to which aviation regulator DGCA ordered a safety audit of all Flying Training Organizations (FTOs).

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Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has ordered a safety audit of all Flying Training Organizations (FTOs) as on March 16 two  training aircraft were involved in separate non-fatal accidents in India. 

The pilot allegedly forgot to open the landing gear in the accident in Jamshedpur in Jharkhand, while the second plane crash-landed on the runway in Sultanpur in Uttar Pradesh, officials of Directorate General of Civil Aviation said.

DGCA chief Arun Kumar said strict action will be taken against those compromising safety. “We will carry out a complete safety audit of all the FTOs in the country and shall take strict action against those compromising safety,” Kumar said.

Giving details of the accident, the officials said that a Cessna 152 plane of Rewa-based FTO Falcon Aviation crash-landed on the runway at Sultanpur airstrip.

The female training pilot is safe and there has been no injury or casualty, they added. In the other incident, a Piper PA34 Seneca aircraft of Jamshedpur-based Alchemist Aviation belly-landed on the runway of the city airport, the officials stated. The pilot forgot to open the landing gear, they claimed. 

(With inputs from PTI)