SpiceJet Turbulence: Engineer De-Rostered For Allowing Take-Off Again

Two of the passengers injured in the turbulence faced by a Spicejet flight from Mumbai during landing in Bengal's Durgapur on Sunday, have been admitted in the Intensive Care Unit, the Director General of Civil Aviation said today. The aviation regulator has de-rostered two Spicejet employees who later allowed the aircraft to move from Durgapur to Kolkata before a formal inquiry.

"The airline after inspection positioned the aircraft at Kolkata. Following actions have been taken by DGCA: DGCA has off rostered the involved crew, the AME (Aircraft Maintenance Engineer) who released the aircraft from Durgapur and in charge of Maintenance Control Center of M/s Spice Jet pending investigation," the DGCA said in a note today.

Fourteen passengers and three members of the crew were injured during Sunday's landing. The injuries were on head, spine, shoulder, forehead and face, the DGCA said.

"Two of the passengers are in ICU at Durgapur. One of the passengers is admitted in Diamond hospital suffering from head injury and other passenger is in mission hospital with spinal injury," the note read.

The patients who received head injuries had to be stitched up after landing.

The note from the DGCA, which is looking into the incident, reveals horrifying details of the landing, during which the autopilot had got disengaged and the flight had to be controlled manually for several minutes.

Videos by passengers inside the aircraft had captured the moments panic as the flight jerked hard several times during the descent. Oxygen masks came down, baggage and other belongings of the passengers went rolling on the floor.

"Due to the severe turbulence experienced by the aircraft, following events occurred… The oxygen panels opened up and oxygen masks fell off. Damage has occurred to the few seat hand rest and overhead decorative panel. One cabin overhead bin (hat rack) lock was found broken. The galley items were seen strewn across on the floor. Same was the condition in the aisle," the note read.

The DGCA said as a regulatory measure, it is carrying out inspection of Spice jet aircraft across the fleet.