Bengaluru: Two IndiGo aircraft flying over Bengaluru with nearly 330 passengers on board had a near miss from a potential mid-air collision after the automatic warning signal alerted the pilots to take evasive action.
As per the airline’s statement, the TCAS-Resolution Advisory system was triggered on two of the aircraft that were flying between Coimbatore-Hyderabad (6E-779) and Bengaluru-Cochin (6E-6505) routes on July 10.
The Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) is a safety feature on all commercial aircraft that monitors and alerts pilots about possible risks of collision. The early warning system acts as eyes of the aircraft constantly communicating between transponders installed on nearby aircraft. It also suggests avoidance action (resolution advisory) for averting collision and maintaining the desired separation between two aircraft.
The Cochin-bound plane had 166 passengers on board while the other aircraft bound for Hyderabad was carrying 162 passengers.
IndiGo airline also said that the matter has been reported to the directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA), the regulator for civil aviation in the country. News Agency PTI quoted unnamed sources saying that the Aircraft Accident Investigation Board (AAIB) has initiated an inquiry into the incident.
They also told the agency that TCAS alarms were triggered as the vertical separation between two aircraft was as low as 200 feet.
