Alliance Air Mumbai-Bhuj flight’s engine cowling falls off  |  Photo Credit: ANI
Bhuj: An Alliance Air ATR aircraft landed safely at Bhuj from Mumbai after a part of the engine cowling fell down during take-off on Wednesday morning. The cowling was recovered alongside the runway after the flight took off. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has initiated an inquiry.
“Alliance Air was scheduled to fly from Mumbai to Bhuj, while the aircraft’s engine cowl fell on the runway and took off without an engine cover… It was reported by Mumbai ATC that Engine Cowling has been found on the runway side after takeoff. It appeared to be from ATR aircraft VT-RKJ at BOM which was operating 91-625(BOM-BHJ). The aircraft is still in continuation of flight,” a Mumbai Airport official told news agency ANI.
All the passengers landed safely at the Bhuj Airport. The DGCA will be investigating the reasons behind the incident and also fixing the responsibility for the incident.
Visuals of the aircraft, which were shared on social media, including by news agencies, showed an exposed engine of the flight as the cowling, the removable outer part of the engine fell off on the runway.
Expert blames poor maintenance
The aircraft, VT-RKJ took off from Mumbai airport at about 6.30 am. According to a report in the Times of India, the flight is four-year-old. Captain Amit Singh, an aviation expert said that the incident could be a result of negligence.
“Incidents of cowl separation usually occur post maintenance activity if latches are not secured. The crew is also expected to ensure that the engine cowl is sited before commencing the flight,” he told ANI.