DMK MP demands DGCA review after engine failure on Kolkata-Shillong flight

According to a report by Hindustan Times, DMK MP P. Wilson expressed concern over aviation safety on Monday. An IndiGo flight from Kolkata to Shillong was cancelled due to an engine failure during taxiing, leading him to deem the aircraft unsafe and question how it obtained an airworthiness certificate.

Demanding the intervention of Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, Wilson appealed to the DGCA to conduct an impartial review of the airworthiness certificates of all aircraft operating across the country and to carry out surprise inspections to ensure passenger safety.

In a post on X, Wilson stated that he was travelling on IndiGo flight 6E 7423 from Kolkata to Shillong, along with three other MPs and 67 passengers to attend a public hearing of a joint parliamentary committee, when the aircraft suddenly stopped while taxiing towards the runway.

He added that one engine failed before takeoff and was shut down. Passengers remained stranded in the aircraft for nearly 2 hours. Subsequently, the pilot announced a technical snag and cancelled the flight.

Wilson alleged that this incident raises serious questions regarding the regulatory checks through which aircraft are granted permission to fly. He stated that the flight was unsafe and it is unclear how the DGCA issued an airworthiness certificate to this aircraft, which constitutes a serious violation.

Appealing to the Civil Aviation Minister, he requested an order to the DGCA to review all airworthiness certificates and to determine whether aircraft operating across the country are truly fit to fly. He also demanded surprise inspections by vigilance units where necessary.

Wilson stated that if they are not proper, the DGCA should cancel their certificates, ground the aircraft, and impose a ban on flying. The DMK MP also alleged an invisible nexus between certain airlines and DGCA officials, which allows unsafe aircraft to continue operations.

Highlighting the risks faced by passengers, Wilson questioned the consequences of technical failures mid-air and said that people travel with the confidence that aircraft are safe. He emphasized that airworthiness certification is the most fundamental assurance that an aircraft is technically safe to fly.

Demanding accountability in this matter, Wilson urged that those responsible for permitting unsafe aircraft to fly should be punished and strict action should be taken against officials found guilty.