Air India finds itself in regulatory scrutiny following a crewing oversight that led to the grounding of two pilots by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The incident, stemming from a rostering error, involved a trainee pilot scheduled for supervised flying with a training captain on a Mumbai-Riyadh flight.
The oversight unfolded when the designated training captain fell ill, prompting rostering to substitute a regular line captain instead. This change violated operational protocols as the substitute captain lacked the authority to sign off on the trainee’s supervised line flying (SLF) form upon landing in Riyadh. Sources familiar with the matter revealed that en route, the pilots identified the discrepancy caused by the crew management system (CMS), which failed to ensure the correct crew complement. Recognizing the issue, the pilots promptly reported the incident to the base manager upon landing, leading Air India to voluntarily notify the DGCA. A senior official from the DGCA confirmed that both pilots involved have been removed from flying duty pending investigation. The regulator is currently investigating the root cause of the rostering mishap, with Air India officials summoned to ascertain accountability for the oversight. Air India insiders acknowledged a sequence of procedural lapses that culminated in the crewing error. They emphasized that upon discovering the lapse, the airline promptly initiated corrective actions and reported the incident voluntarily to the DGCA.
As of the time of publication, Air India had not responded to requests for comments on the incident. This incident underscores the criticality of rigorous crew management protocols in ensuring flight safety and regulatory compliance. The DGCA’s swift response highlights the stringent oversight necessary to maintain operational standards within India’s aviation sector. The outcome of the ongoing investigation will likely determine the regulatory measures and corrective actions necessary to prevent similar incidents in the future. Airlines are increasingly under pressure to uphold stringent operational standards amidst growing regulatory scrutiny and passenger safety expectations.
