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DGCA Grounds Pilots After Rajasthan CM’s Jet Lands on Wrong Phalodi Runway

The DGCA has launched an inquiry into the mislanding, grounding the pilots pending a review of briefing procedures with civil-military coordination protocols under scrutiny.

Overview

  • Pilots misidentified a nearby civil airstrip as the intended Phalodi Air Force Station runway due to similar orientation and inadequate pre-flight briefing.
  • The DGCA initiated a formal probe on August 4 and removed the flight crew from duty pending completion of its investigation.
  • The charter operator filed a voluntary incident report with the DGCA, reflecting proactive procedural accountability.
  • Authorities are assessing coordination gaps between civilian and military authorities at Phalodi to prevent future runway mix-ups.
  • Aviation experts warn that Phalodi’s civil airstrip may lack the structural capacity to safely accommodate heavy business jets like the Dassault Falcon 2000.