Kozhikode Plane Crash Probe Report Likely to Be Made Public in August

The investigation report on the Air India Express plane crash at Kozhikode airport last year that killed many people, including two pilots, is likely to be made public this month. On August 7, 2020, a Boeing 737 plane coming from Dubai had overshot the runway at Kozhikode airport in Kerala and later broke into pieces. There were 190 people onboard the ill-fated aircraft and at least 20 people, including the two pilots, were killed and several others were injured. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is probing the accident.

Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has told Lok Sabha member from Kerala M P Abdussamad Samadani that the probe report on the accident is likely to be made public in August. “The draft report is under consultation with the accredited representative of NTSB, USA in accordance with Rule 14 of Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2017.

“However, the consultation process has been severely hampered due to unprecedented impact of COVID-19. The final report is likely to be made public in August 2021,” the minister said in a letter, dated July 31, to the member. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is the US transportation safety body.

Last year, AAIB had said that NTSB has appointed its “accredited representative and technical advisors” to assist it in the probe. On Tuesday, responding to e-mail queries by PTI regarding the probe report, an AAIB official said that they will revert soon.

In the letter, Scindia also informed Samadani that the operation of wide-body aircraft from Kozhikode airport is subject to the outcome of AAIB’s accident investigation report.

Commercial operations of wide-body planes from the airport were temporarily suspended due to the accident in August last year and prevailing adverse weather conditions.

“A team from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had visited the Calicut airport to review the wide-body aircraft operations at the airport.

“The team made eight observations, which were forwarded to the airport operator. As per airport operator, permanent action has been taken on some observations. However, the operation of wide-body aircraft from Calicut airport is subject to outcome of the AAIB”s accident investigation report,” the minister said in the letter.

Kozhikode is also known as Calicut.

The response was to a letter written by Samadani dated July 26. A member of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), he represents Kerala”s Malappuram constituency in the Lok Sabha.

AAIB has been coordinating with personnel from the NTSB in the probe.

“As per requirements of Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents & Incidents) Rules 2017 & ICAO Annex 13, AAIB as State of Occurrence has notified NTSB being State of Manufacturer about the accident.

“Accordingly, NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) has appointed Accredited Representative and Technical Advisors to assist in the investigation as per ICAO Annex 13 protocol,” AAIB had said in August last year.

ICAO is the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

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