New Delhi, April 18 -- Aviation watchdog DGCA has ordered a detailed investigation into the circumstances that led to the recent death of an Air India Express pilot, including checking the medical history of the deceased crew member and examining the existing guidelines to deal with such emergencies.
The Air India Express pilot, who was the first officer, died due to a sudden cardiac arrest while operating the flight IX1153 from Srinagar to Delhi on April 9.
Ordering the probe, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) investigation team will check whether the crew reported the sickness to the Air Traffic Controller (ATC) while in air and if so, whether the ATC initiated action appropriately.
Apart from checking the medical history of the deceased crew member, the team will probe whether due precaution was taken during rostering of such crew who have flying restriction due to medical reasons, as per the DGCA order issued on April 17.
Among other aspects, the regulator will investigate whether any specific medical checks are required for such pilots to undergo before undertaking flights and whether the remaining onboard crew took action when the crew member reported feeling unwell.
According to DGCA, the probe will also look at the time taken in taking the crew member to the medical centre at the airport. Further, the probe team will check the level of preparedness of the medical centre at the airport in handling such emergencies as well as examine and suggest changes with respect to existing guidelines in this regard. Deputy Director of Air Safety Vishal Yadav will be the Investigator-in-Charge and Group Captain Murtaza as a subject matter expert will carry out the probe.
The team has been directed to submit its final investigation report as early as possible, preferably within a period of six months, as per the order.
In a statement on April 10, an Air India Express spokesperson said it deeply regrets the loss of a valued colleague due to a medical condition.
Without providing specific details, the spokesperson also said, "we request all concerned to respect privacy at this time and avoid unnecessary speculation, while we commit to assisting the relevant authorities in due process".
Last week, the Airline Pilots' Association of India said there is an urgent need to put in place transparent regulations that prioritise rest for pilots, safety and humane scheduling practices.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.