A potentially hazardous situation was successfully averted at Chennai airport on Wednesday morning when an Air India Express flight arriving from Singapore was forced to abort its landing just 200 feet above the ground. The quick decision and precise action by the flight crew ensured the safety of all 180 passengers on board.
The flight was originally scheduled to land at 10:15 am and had entered its final approach phase when the pilots opted to perform a go-around. Aviation authorities later confirmed that the decision was taken due to an “unstabilised approach,” a condition typically caused by deviations in descent rate, airspeed, or aircraft alignment during landing.
According to airport officials, the aircraft encountered significant crosswinds combined with a steep descent rate, prompting the pilots to abandon the landing attempt. “A safe landing requires proper alignment with the runway, the right speed, and a controlled descent. In this case, the descent angle was too steep, and there was a sudden shift in wind speed,” a person familiar with the situation said.
After initiating the go-around, the flight circled the airport before making a successful and safe landing on its second attempt approximately 30 minutes later. No injuries were reported among passengers or crew. This incident has contributed to growing concerns over flight safety at Chennai airport, especially given a string of similar events in recent months. In October 2023, an IndiGo flight arriving from Jaipur had to perform a touch-and-go maneuver after encountering crosswind and alignment issues similar to those faced by the Air India Express flight.
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Another alarming incident took place in March, when a flight from Mumbai to Chennai suffered a tail strike during landing—a condition that can potentially damage the aircraft's structure and jeopardise safety. Given the recurrence of such events, authorities are taking the matter seriously. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is expected to initiate an inquiry and request comprehensive reports from both the airline and the Air Traffic Control (ATC) team that was on duty during the time of the incident.
Aviation safety experts emphasise that while go-arounds are standard and safe procedures in aviation, the frequency of such maneuvers in a specific location can point to systemic challenges, such as runway design, weather conditions, or procedural lapses.
As investigations continue, this latest incident has once again drawn attention to the operational challenges at Chennai airport and underscored the need for heightened vigilance and coordination among all stakeholders in ensuring flight safety.
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