DGCA Audit Uncovers Widespread Safety Lapses at Major Airports

New Delhi: From an aircraft found with worn tyres to faded runway markings, from aircraft not repaired as per the work order to reported defects reappearing in aircraft, from vehicles on the airside without speed governors to lack of safety equipment, all these shortcomings in flight operations were found by the Director-General of Civil Aviation after a check at major airports in including those at Delhi and Mumbai.
Following the air crash in Ahmedabad, the DGCA had initiated a “360º surveillance” of the aviation ecosystem to strengthen safety measures. The surveillance covered multiple critical areas such as flight operations, airworthiness, ramp safety, air traffic control (ATC), communication, navigation and surveillance (CNS) systems, pre-flight medical evaluations, ground activities and aircraft movements.
Two teams led by the joint director-general of DGCA carried out comprehensive surveillance at night and in the early morning at major airports.
The report highlighted multiple cases where the maintenance of aircraft was not carried out as per the work order and reported defects re-appeared many times on the aircraft, as well as faded markings on runways, indicating ineffective monitoring and inadequate rectification action on the defects.
At one place, a domestic flight of a scheduled carrier was held up due to worn tyres, and it was released only after the required rectification was carried out, the DGCA said. The report said that during the maintenance of the aircraft, the work order was not followed.
“The unserviceable thrust reverser system and flap slat lever were not locked” during maintenance it said, referring to crucial equipment needed by aircraft while landing.
“Safety precautions were not taken by aircraft maintenance engineering (AME) as per Aircraft Maintenance Manual (AMM), and at places, AME was not attending to the snag rectification. Besides, defect reports generated by the aircraft system were not found recorded in the technical logbook,” the DGCA said.
The corrosion-resistant tape on the right-hand side winglet’s lower blade of an aircraft was found to be damaged. Similarly, at an airport, the centre line marking of the runway was observed to have faded, the rapid exit taxiway, green centre light were not unidirectional, the DGCA report said.
In some flights, several life vests were not properly secured beneath their designated seats.
With regard to training equipment, the DGCA said: “A simulator was checked and found not matching with the aircraft configuration. Also, the software was not updated to the current version.” Simulators are used to train pilots to fly actual aircraft.
The DGCA said that it found that obstruction limitation data of buildings near aerodromes had not been updated for three years, and no survey has been performed despite many new constructions in the vicinity.
It added that the number of vehicles in the ramp area were found without speed governors. These vehicles were withdrawn by cancelling their air vehicle pilot permit, and drivers’ airside driving permit were suspended.
Without naming the airports, the DGCA said during inspection, ground handling equipment such as baggage trolleys, baggage freight loader, etc were found unserviceable and line maintenance stores, tool control procedures were not followed.
All the findings had been communicated to the operators concerned for taking corrective actions within seven days. This process will continue in future to detect hazards in the system, the DGCA said.