BENGALURU: The cracking of the outer pane of the windshield mid-air forced a Spicejet planeheading from Chennai to Goa with 68 passengers on board to make an emergency landing at Kempegowda International Airport here on Thursday afternoon.
The Q400 aircraft (Flight no. SG 3105) is said to have developed cracks in the windshield on the co-pilot’s side at 12.10 pm, said an airport source. The captain pilot decided to make an emergency landing at KIA. The plane landed safely at 12.17 pm, he said.
According to a Spicejet spokesperson, “While cruising, the outer pane of P2 (second pilot) side of the windshield cracked. The pilot in command decided to divert the flight to Bengaluru,” he said. An alternative aircraft was arranged and it left for Goa at 4.30 pm, the spokesperson said.
Throwing light on the problem, aviation safety consultant Captain Mohan Ranganathan told The New Indian Express that it was “not a very serious issue”.
“Windshield cracks occur due to arching of the windshield heating system. There are two types of cracks, one inside the windshield and another on the exterior,”Mohan said.
The pilot has to follow the standard operating procedures. “In case of internal cracks, the pilot is expected to lower the plane and fly it at a lower altitude. In case of outer crack, it is perceived as a reduction in safety levels and so the pilot is expected to divert the flight to the nearest airport. This is not something dangerous but is done as a precautionary measure,” he added.
Man nabbed at airport for impersonation
A SpiceJet passenger heading to Guwahati from Bengaluru was caught at the Kempegowda International Airport by security forces for impersonating his friend. He has been handed over to airport police. According to an airport source, Nazim Uddin has been caught for using his friend’s (Zulmat Ali) ticket and his PAN card. “He was heading to board SG 532 on January 1. During questioning, he gave evasive answers to simple questions like name and destination. His suspicious behaviour made us interrogate him further,” the source said. Uddin confessed to misusing his friend’s ticket and ID card, he added.