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From Miracles to Tragedy: India's Air Ambulance Woes
2 Mar
Summary
- A decade of air safety probes reveals SOP violations and flawed flight planning.
- DGCA now holds senior executives accountable, not just pilots.
- Past accidents highlight issues like fuel planning and weather assessment failures.
A decade of accident investigations has led the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to impose stricter regulations on non-scheduled operators following a rise in incidents. Reports over the past ten years have consistently highlighted violations of standard operating procedures, inadequate flight planning, and gaps in pilot training.
In a notable regulatory shift, accountability for safety lapses is now extended to senior executives and Accountable Managers, not solely to pilots. This intensified scrutiny follows a series of accidents, including a recent Baramati crash and a 2016 incident where an aged air ambulance experienced engine starvation due to improper fuel planning.
