Three months after some passengers were injured due to turbulence on a SpiceJet flight from Mumbai to Durgapur, the aviation regulator has suspended the pilot’s licence for six months for ignoring his co-pilot’s warnings.
The budget carrier may have also violated safety protocols, investigations by the Air Accident Investigation Board (AAIB) have revealed, an official said. The board is yet to submit its report.
The pilot was additionally found to have reacted late to the turbulence, worsening the situation, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said. “The co-pilot of the flight had warned of the turbulence ahead, but the pilot decided to go ahead, and his judgement proved to be wrong,” a directorate official said, asking not to be named.
