DGCA fines IndiGo Rs 30 lakh over tail-strike incidents

New Delhi, July 28

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IndiGo has been fined Rs 30 lakh by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) over “certain systemic deficiencies in documentation pertaining to operations and engineering procedures”.

The penalty follows special audit conducted by the regulator after concerns were raised over frequent tail-strike incidents. In six months this year, IndiGo has experienced four tail-strike incidents on their A321 aircraft. Tail strike occurs when the tail of an aircraft strikes the ground or an object during the takeoff or landing. In the special audit, the DGCA reviewed the airline’s documentation on operations, training, engineering and FDM (flight data monitoring) programmes. After the audit, the aviation regulator issued a show-cause notice to IndiGo, directing the airline to submit a reply. “The reply was reviewed and was not found satisfactory. Subsequently, the DGCA imposed a penalty on the airline and also directed it to amend its documents and procedures in line with DGCA requirements and original equipment manufacturer guidelines,” a statement issued by the DGCA said.