Would you trust your life with a pilot who is likely to confuse the sound of apples dropping on the floor inside the cockpit with engine trouble?
A woman pilot of Air India, the commander of the flight, made a dubious entry into aviation history when she did just that with nearly catastrophic results as the flight was taking off from Varanasi for Delhi.
The aircraft had started its takeoff roll when the apples tumbled out, making a thud.
On a Khajuraho-Varanasi-Delhi flight last month, with over 100 passengers on board, Capt. Kanwaljit Kaur braked suddenly as the aircraft was taking-off - it was taxiing at about 240 kmph. It caused all the tyres of the aircraft to burst.
The passengers had a miraculous escape. They were hurriedly offloaded at Varanasi and the flight was cancelled.
However, the airline was tightlipped on the issue and no details are available on whether any passenger was injured, or if the passengers had been compensated.
According to official sources, the national carrier had instituted a formal inquiry into the incident. Capt. Kaur is likely to be let off lightly and allowed to fly again, said a source.
However, the directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA), which has also decided to order an inquiry into the incident, can stop this.
DGCA chief E. K. Bharat Bhushan said the details would be sought from Air India. " It is a very serious incident and will be handled accordingly," Bhushan said.
According to sources, Capt. Kaur had bought the apples from Varanasi and placed them inside the cockpit of Air India's flight number IC-406 on February 11. Then, as the aircraft began taxiing for take-off, the apples started tumbling out one by one, making a dull sound as they dropped to the floor. The commander and her co-pilot, Capt. I. K. Singh, forgetting all about the apples, presumed the aircraft's compressor had either packed up or the engine had shut down and decided it was dangerous to fly.
Capt Kaur, apparently without checking the cockpit instruments, applied sudden brakes and brought the aircraft to a screeching halt.
Airline sources, who did not want to be named, said the plane was at VI speed, or the "decision speed" when a pilot can abort takeoff.
The next stage is V2 or 'initial airborne' when it is difficult to abort take off.
As the apples began rolling inside the cockpit, Capt Kaur reportedly rushed to put them in her bag or in some compartment as the aircraft was taking-off, sources said.
Capt K Kaur, when contacted over the phone, claimed the incident took place on February 7. When asked about the "falling apples" and aborted take-off of the Khajuraho-Varanasi-Delhi flight, she refused to comment.
"I am not authorised to speak to the media," she said.
Capt Subodh Nigam, director of operations at the airline, when asked if any action had been initiated against the pilot, refused to comment. "I am busy in a meeting. Contact the
PR department," he said.
Air India's spokesperson Kamaljit Ratan said, "Passenger safety is of utmost importance to us. The incident will be looked into and if needed, action will be initiated." Aviation expert Capt A. Ranganathan said, " This is a serious incident and also a matter of indiscipline which Air India should look into. It is prohibited to carry loose objects inside the cockpit. This could have led to serious consequences.
The DGCA should inquire into the incident." Interestingly, Capt Kaur has a history of idiosyncratic behavior.
She had recently strayed into Pakistani airspaces and caused a huge embarrassment to Indian authorities. The incident had occurred on a Delhi-Amritsar scheduled flight when she flew into Pakistani airspace, revealed an Air India source.
A formal apology had to be tendered to the Pakistani authorities, the source said.
This is a second reported incident in recent days when a pilot's actions had seriously compromised flight safety.
About a month back another pilot, Capt. Parminder Gulati of the private carrier Indigo, had landed the aircraft on the nose landing gear, which is the weakest part of the plane. The incident had occurred on January 11. There were over 100 passengers on the flight.
An inquiry had later revealed that her last 15-20 landings were at an angle which increased the chances of the nose wheel touching first.
Aircraft should land on the main landing gear (MLG), and after the main wheels (at the rear of the aircraft) touch the runway, the speed of the aircraft is reduced. Only then should the nose landing gear (NLG - below the nose of the aircraft) should be lowered to touch the surface of the runway. This is the basic landing technique.