India's aviation safety regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), launched a probe into the recent SpiceJet–Akasa aircraft "minor" collision incident at Delhi airport.
DGCA was put on high alert on April 16 after the two commercial aircraft made contact with one another on the ground at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, thankfully, without a single injury among passengers or crew.
The incident occurred at Terminal 1 near bay No. 106, involving a SpiceJet Boeing 737-700 (flight SG-124, arriving from Leh) and an Akasa Air Boeing 737 MAX 8 (flight QP-1406, preparing to depart for Hyderabad). During taxiing, the SpiceJet aircraft's right winglet made contact with the left horizontal stabiliser of the Akasa plane, the rear tail surface that helps control a plane's pitch. Both aircraft sustained damage and were immediately grounded for inspection.
According to the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation statement, the Akasa aircraft had already been pushed back from bay No. 104 and was stationary, positioned for engine start. Air Traffic Control then cleared the SpiceJet aircraft to taxi to bay No. 106 after the pilot confirmed visual separation from the Akasa plane.
But during the manoeuvre, the SpiceJet aircraft allegedly executed a turn without wing walker clearance, a critical breach of ground safety protocol. A wing walker is a trained ground crew member who physically guides an aircraft during tight ground movements to prevent exactly this kind of collision.
The DGCA already took initial action. The Pilot-in-Command and co-pilot of the SpiceJet aircraft, as well as the concerned ATC officer, have been taken off duty pending investigation. The probe will also examine ground handling aspects of the incident. Akasa Air confirmed all passengers and crew were safely disembarked and that it made alternative arrangements to get its passengers to Hyderabad.