In a concerning ground incident at one of India's busiest aviation hubs, the wings of two commercial aircraft collided while taxiing at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport on Thursday afternoon. The collision caused significant damage to both aircraft and has prompted immediate regulatory action.
Incident Details and Immediate Aftermath
The collision occurred at approximately 2:15 PM at Terminal 1 of the airport. According to official statements and visual evidence, an Akasa Air Boeing 737 aircraft, registered as flight QP-1406 bound for Hyderabad, was stationary and preparing for departure after pushback from its stand. Simultaneously, a SpiceJet Boeing 737-700 aircraft, operating as flight SG-124 which had just arrived from Leh, was taxiing toward its designated parking bay when the two planes made contact.
Damage Assessment and Aircraft Status
The impact resulted in substantial damage to both aircraft. The right winglet of the SpiceJet aircraft was damaged, while the left-hand horizontal stabilizer (also referred to as the trimmable horizontal stabilizer or HTS) of the Akasa Air aircraft sustained damage. In a visible indication of the force of the collision, a portion of the SpiceJet flight's wing became attached to the Akasa aircraft.
Following the incident, the SpiceJet aircraft has been grounded at Delhi Airport. The Akasa Air aircraft had to return to the bay, and all passengers and crew from both flights were safely disembarked. Akasa Air confirmed that their ground teams are making alternative arrangements to transport their passengers to Hyderabad at the earliest opportunity.
Regulatory Response and Investigation
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), India's aviation regulatory authority, has ordered a formal inquiry into the incident. In a swift administrative move, the concerned air traffic control officer and the pilots of the SpiceJet aircraft have been off-rostered pending the outcome of the investigation. This is a standard precautionary measure in aviation safety protocols.
Airline Statements and Safety Protocols
A SpiceJet spokesperson described the event as a "ground occurrence" that involved their B737-700 aircraft and another aircraft belonging to a different airline, confirming the damage to their right winglet and the other aircraft's horizontal stabilizer.
An Akasa Air spokesperson provided a detailed account, stating: "Preliminary information indicates that Akasa's aircraft was stationary when another airline's aircraft made contact with it. All passengers and crew safely disembarked, and our ground teams are making alternative arrangements to fly our passengers to Hyderabad at the earliest. In line with established protocols, the relevant authorities have been informed, and the matter is under investigation." The spokesperson emphasized that at Akasa Air, the safety and security of passengers and crew remain the highest priority.
Official Ministry Statement
The Ministry of Civil Aviation released an official statement confirming the DGCA investigation. The statement provided technical details, noting: "The SpiceJet winglet of the B-737-700 aircraft taxiing in the allocated parking bay after operating flight SG-124 (Leh-Delhi) at Terminal 1 has hit horizontal tail surface (HTS) of Akasa B-737 aircraft positioned on the apron after pushback for operating flight on sector (Delhi-Hyderabad). Due to the impact, right-hand-side winglet of the SpiceJet aircraft and the trimmable horizontal stabiliser of Akasa aircraft were damaged."
The authority's statement corroborated the accounts provided by both airlines regarding the sequence of events leading to the wing collision. This incident highlights the critical importance of ground safety procedures at congested airports and the robust investigation protocols followed by Indian aviation authorities when such events occur.
