DGCA Issues Show-Cause Notice to Air India Pilot Over Safety Lapses
In its notice, the DGCA stated that the pilot accepted the aircraft despite repeated technical snags and signs of system degradation
New Delhi: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued a show-cause notice to an Air India pilot over safety concerns related to flights AI-358 and AI-357, involving aircraft dispatch, Minimum Equipment List (MEL) compliance, and flight crew decision-making.
In its notice, the DGCA stated that the pilot accepted the aircraft despite repeated technical snags and signs of system degradation. The civil aviation authority also noted that a smell of smoke was reported near a door during the operation of flight AI-358.
The DGCA said that during the operation of flight AI-358, the operating crew received PACK ACM L and Pack Mode advisories, and that repetitive snags related to the same systems had been recorded on five previous sectors, indicating a known history of degradation.
According to the notice, the operating crew accepted the aircraft without adequate understanding of MEL limitations. It stated that on December 28, the conditions of the lower right recirculation fan were not aligned with the MEL ‘O’ conditions.
The DGCA further noted that aircraft VT-ANI was dispatched with incompatible MEL items, in contravention of Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) Section 2, Series B, Part 1, Paras 2.2 and 2.3. Despite this, the pilots of flights AI-358 and AI-357 accepted the aircraft for operation with prior knowledge of repeated snags and existing system degradations.
The notice also cited non-compliance with MEL ‘O’ conditions on June 28, 2025, related to the lower right recirculation fan on flight AI-358, in violation of CAR provisions. It added that the operating crew failed to adequately assess the combined operational and safety impact of multiple inoperative systems, as required under CAR Section 8, Series O, Part II.
The DGCA has directed the pilot to respond within 14 days of receipt of the notice, failing which the matter will be decided ex parte based on available evidence. The authority said appropriate enforcement action could be initiated under relevant provisions of the Aircraft Rules and Civil Aviation Requirements.
Earlier, on December 22, an Air India flight bound for Mumbai was forced to return to Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport shortly after departure. The pilots of flight AI-887 turned back as a precaution after detecting a technical glitch mid-air.
The crew operating flight AI-887 from Delhi to Mumbai returned to Delhi shortly after take-off in accordance with standard operating procedures, ensuring passenger safety.
