Air India flight for Delhi aborts take-off at Vijaywada due to technical fault
The pilot of an Air India flight bound for New Delhi aborted take-off at Vijayawada Airport seconds after it began gathering speed on the runway after he discovered a technical problem in the engine.
Sources said that the pilot aborted the flight after the aircraft hit a bird while taking off but the airlines authorities denied it. The Air India New Delhi-Vijayawada (AI 459) flight reached the Vijayawada airport at 8.50 am. Its return journey was scheduled at 9.25 am for New Delhi.
As per the schedule, the Vijayawada-New Delhi (AI 460) was cleared for take off with 116 passengers on board, apart from the crew members. As he was about to take off, the pilot noticed a snag in the engine. He immediately informed Vijayawada Air Traffic Control (ATC) and requested clearance for aborting the flight.
“All passengers on-board are safe. The aircraft was immediately taken off the runway and shifted to the hanger for maintenance,” Airport director G Madhusudhan Rao told Express.
As an emergency was sounded and all precautionary measures were taken at the airport with the support of the crew by deploying firefighting units and vehicles, apart from medical aid facilities near the runway, he added.
Though Air India officials did not divulge details about the snag, an engineering team was pressed into action immediately. There was displeasure among as passengers over the termination of the flight. “We had already boarded the flight and were about to take off but it did not,” said B Srinivasulu, passenger travelling to New Delhi for Chardham tour.
About 65 passengers including women, children and elderly were on board. “The Air India officials promised to arrange alternative flight within an hour after the flight was taken off. But they did not fix any flight for us. The Air India officials didn’t even provide us food, drinking water or refreshments,” he alleged. Some passengers were accommodated on Vijayawada-New Delhi flight which left at 5:45 pm. Other passengers left by another flight for Delhi at 8.30 p.m.
