According to a source, the incident took place when IndiGo flight 6E-813 en-route to Guwahati from Mumbai experienced turbulence due to monsoon.
Aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has launched an investigation into the narrow escape of two IndiGo planes from collision on Tuesday. After the incident, four passengers complained of giddiness and two crew members sustained minor injuries.
According to a source, the incident took place when IndiGo flight 6E-813 en-route to Guwahati from Mumbai experienced turbulence due to monsoon. As a result, the plane climbed by about 250-300 feet. At the same time, IndiGo aircraft 6E-136 (Guwahati-Chennai) was crossing in the opposite direction. The two flights came in prohibited proximity of each other.
This triggered a Resolution Advisory (RA) by the Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) installed in the aircraft. TCAS is an on-board equipment that advises pilots about the traffic in the aircraft's proximity and also instructs pilots in the avoidance action to maintain desired separation between the aircraft.
An IndiGo airline spokesperson said, "As both aircraft were on the same airway, they were separated vertically by a 1,000 feet as per the regulatory requirement. Due to unexpected turbulence, the vertical separation reduced to 700 feet and the flight crew immediately began to address the altitude deviation. At the very moment, TCAS-RA advisory was generated. As per the standard operating procedure, the flight crew immediately took corrective action in interest of safety."
Meanwhile, sources said the passengers were shaken by the turbulence and a couple of crew members were injured as well. The pilot then informed the Air Traffic Control (ATC) about the situation and requested for a doctor and an ambulance at the Guwahati airport. The flight made a normal landing.
The DGCA officials said they were investigating the communication between the ATC and pilot and other flight details, before coming to any conclusion.
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