SpiceJet aircraft collides with pole at Delhi airport; DGCA begins probe

A SpiceJet aircraft collided with a pole at the Delhi airport on Monday. The collision occurred during pushback, when the aircraft was moving from the passenger terminal to the runway.

The SG 160 aircraft was scheduled to fly from Delhi to Jammu. The flight was heading to takeoff for Jammu when its right wing hit the pole, damaging the aileron, the hinged part on the trailing end of the wing that helps steer the plane. A replacement aircraft had been arranged to operate the flight mentioned a SpiceJet Spokesperson to ANI.

An airport official told the news agency that an investigation has been launched to look into the matter.

The Boeing 737-800 aircraft of SpiceJet was being pushed back today morning when its right-wing hit the lightning pole in the apron area of the airport.

The plane was scheduled to depart from Delhi at 9.20 am, officials noted. In a statement, a SpiceJet spokesperson said, ''On March 28, 2022, SpiceJet flight SG 160 was scheduled to operate between Delhi and Jammu. ''During push back, the right-wing trailing edge came in close contact with a pole, causing damage to the aileron. A replacement aircraft has been arranged to operate the flight,'' he said.

The no-frills carrier had earlier announced launch of seven flights, including the Gorakhpur-Varanasi one which was inaugurated by Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and UP CM Yogi Adityanath on Sunday.

Apart from the Gorakhpur-Varanasi flight, SpiceJet also announced the launch of Hyderabad-Puducherry-Hyderabad, Varanasi-Kanpur-Varanasi and Varanasi-Patna flights under the regional connectivity scheme UDAN.

The airline industry is slowly picking up pace to normalcy as COVID-19 cases continue to dip, making airlines ready for normal overseas operations.
 

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