Simultaneous takeoffs from main runway

A Canadair Regional Jet (CRJ),belonging to Pinnacle Air,was bound for Aurangabad; the other flight was an international non-scheduled operator’s Challenger Business Jet,based out of Bermuda Islands and bound for Delhi.

Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) Dr Naseem Zaidi said the DGCA has de-rostered two AT controllers and asked the foreign pilots to stay back in Delhi to cooperate with the investigations.

ATC officials said that there was a separation of close to two kilometers between the aircraft. “The Pinnacle aircraft entered the runway from the old airport side via taxiway Q,just ahead of the intersection of the cross-runways. The Challenger jet entered the runway from the international terminal side via taxiway Alpha 4,” said an official.

“When clearance was given to the Pinnacle aircraft,the other also took off with a difference of about one minute,” said the official. “The jets could not have been called back as there is no procedure for that,” said an ATC guild member.

“DGCA is hearing the tapes of the conversation,” said an airport official. Sources said the take-off instruction to the Pinnacle aircraft was established after hearing the cockpit voice recorders (CVRs). M.G. Jhungare,General Manager,Mumbai ATC,said DGCA investigations are on.

A similar incident had taken place on May 31,when an aircraft each of Jet Airways and Air India had to abort take-off after nearing take-off speed.

The Air India pilot had allegedly mistaken the instructions given to the Jet pilot.