The moral of the tale is: if you're going to tell porkies, you need to have a good memory in order to avoid contradicting yourself.
The story coming out of India has changed at least 3 times. First, nothing was found on the runway at BLR. Then, the panel was apparently found several miles from the destination.
Now, it seems, it was found on the runway after all, but somehow it didn't present any hazard to the aircraft itself or to any other arriving/departing flights. How very convenient.
I don't suppose we will ever learn the truth.
I guess I'm just old and cynical but given the apparent lack of damage and speed of replacement I still don't buy into the 'fell off on landing due to not enough bolts' bit - unless 'not enough' means zero of course but, as DaveReid says, I doubt we'll ever find out the truth.
I sense that many posters are just now beginning to understand that when it comes to Indian officialdom, face-saving comes further up the list than honesty and integrity. The corruption and incompetence in so much of Indian society, including aviation, as attested to me by Indian work colleagues (I have been in aviation for over 30 years, and visit India regularly ...) is how b0ll0cks excuses like those behind this incident come about.
Nevertheless, having one's porkies uncovered in this way is not considered a bar to holding office in India. In fact, one is unlikely to have gained office in the first place without the behaviour being displayed by officials pronouncing on this incident.
