DGCA Calls Rahul’s Flight Snag Common as As Cong Fears Tampering

A DGCA official said that incidents of technical auto-pilot snag, like in Rahul’s flight, were not uncommon.

File image of Congress President Rahul Gandhi.

(Photo: PTI)

A Hubli-bound flight, with Congress president Rahul Gandhi onboard, reportedly developed a ‘technical snag’ on Thursday, 26 April, causing panic among passengers and crew alike, with the Congress alleging “intentional tampering” with the aircraft and demanding a probe into its “suspicious and faulty performance.”

Amid the allegations, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), however, said that it was a "snag of autopilot mode," and that it is not uncommon, reported NDTV.

BS Bhullar, head of the DGCA, told NDTV that a detailed report will be out in two weeks.

Shutting of autopilot incidents are not uncommon. For any VIP flight, DGCA examines it in detail. We shall do here also.

BS Bhullar

Kaushal Vidyarthee, one among Gandhi’s entourage, had written a letter to the Inspector General and Director General of Karnataka Police, alleging ‘unexplained technical failures’, while adding that the ‘shuddering and the altitude dipping’ that was experienced during the flight-time were ‘not weather-related’.

In his letter, Vidyarthee states that the snags experienced during the flight, coupled with the failure in the auto-pilot system “raises serious issues of aviation safety and possible and intentional tampering with aircraft which endangered the life of its occupants”.

According to Vidyarthee's letter, the aircraft tilted heavily mid-flight, and shuddered violently with a clanking noise that was “clearly audible".

The aircraft successfully landed at the airport around 11:25 am only after three attempts, leaving the occupants frightened.

Confirming that a complaint has been received about some unexplained turbulence of the aircraft, Renuka Sukumar, DCP (Law and Order), Hubbali-Dharwad police told PTI:

We have registered a complaint under Section 287 (negligent conduct with respect to machinery) and 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the IPC.

Renuka Sukumar, DCP 

The complaint that names the two pilots was filed by KPCC General Secretary Shakir Sanadi, she said.

Meanwhile, a senior DGCA official responded to the incident, saying:

The operator has reported the incident to us (DGCA). According to the operator’s report, it was a snag of auto-pilot mode and the pilot shifted to the manual (mode) and (the aircraft) landed safely. Shutdown of auto-pilot (mode) incidents are not uncommon. For any VIP flight, the DGCA examines it in detail. We shall do that here also.

DGCA official

Citing the report from the Air Traffic Controller, a senior official at the Hubbali airport said the plane had landed safely, PTI reported.

Notably, Gandhi is on a two-day visit to poll-bound Karnataka to campaign for the party candidates in the districts of Uttara Kannada, Dahskina Kannada, Kodagu and Mysuru.

Kaushal Vidyarthee’s Letter

‘Rahul Gandhi Remained Calm and Composed’: Surjewala

Congress’ communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala also commented on the incident, saying:

Rahul Gandhi landed safely... a serious accident was averted today.

Randeep Surjewala

He added that a complaint has been sumbitted to the DGP, Karnataka, asking him to look into all aspects of the "serious, horrific incident", including foul play if any.

He reportedly said it was unprecedented that a flight carrying an SPG protectee would develop a snag.

At one point, the plane had tilted to one side, as the autopilot mode had failed. However, throughout this time, he (Rahul Gandhi) remained calm and composed and kept assuring others that they would all safely land in Hubbali.

Randeep Surjewala

Another complaint has been filed with the DGCA to look at all the aspects of the matter, Surjewala added.

(With inputs from PTI and ANI)

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