Kingfisher aircraft emergency slide opens abruptly

The Mumbai airport officials were startled when the emergency chutes of the Mumbai-bound Kingfisher aircraft opened abruptly while the crew was preparing to deplane passengers.

“Shortly after Kingfisher Airlines flight IT 304,coming from Delhi,came to a halt at its designated parking bay,as per established procedures,the commander of the aircraft asked the crew to disarm all doors. While all other doors disarmed normally,it appears that the left rear door did not get fully disarmed and consequently the escape (emergency) slide got deployed. There has been no damage to either the aircraft or any personnel. All 142 passengers and nine cabin crew deplaned safely. The maintenance crew replaced the escape slide and the aircraft has been pressed back into service,” said a spokesperson from Kingfisher Airlines.

The incident is under investigation by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.