NEW DELHI: Several errors and omissions, besides the pilot’s decision to descend too early, are said to have been pointed out by the team investigating the crash of late Punjab Governor Surendra Nath’s plane in July last The preliminary findings of the three member team led by Channa, Inspector (Accidents), also reveal that the clearance from the Air Traffic Control (ATC) was obtained by the “flight dispatcher,” and not by the pilot, Capt. Sandhu, The fight dispatcher was not even qualified for the job assigned to him, the committee is believed to have concluded. “He should not have asked for the clearance and nor should the ATC have cleared the flight,” said an official of the Director-general of Civil Aviation (DGCA) here Noy.20. The one-man court of inquiry of Justice Sood will hold its session sometime in the second week of December next to examine the preliminary report and other evidences before giving its verdict on the causes of the accident. ‘There are various other observations made in the preliminary report. The questions raised are: (1) what type of route planet was? (2) When did the pilot undertake the flight on the route previously? (3) Did the aircraft undergo all requisite mandatory checks before the flight?
(4) Was the plane overloaded with passengers and baggage (cargo)? And
(5) Details pertaining to the weather on that day.
The Sood commission is also expected to examine the security angle in relation to the mishap.
According to the DGCA official, there are various officials to blame for the accident, which occurred ‘because of “utter carelessness.”
Article extracted from this publication >> November 25, 1994
