DGCA suspends licence of International Aircraft Sales after probe into Cessna plane crash

New Delhi, Aug 22 (IANS) The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has suspended the maintenance organisation approval of M/s International Aircraft Sales Pvt. Ltd. with immediate effect over "significant safety concerns", according to a statement issued by the regulator on Thursday.

The action has been taken after the DGCA’s investigation into the crash landing of a Cessna 152 aircraft VT-BBB of M/s Belagavi Aviation and Sport Enterprises, Guna (Madhya Pradesh) due to engine failure during a test flight on August 11.

The aircraft was on its first flight after having gone through maintenance with overhauled engine. The engine was overhauled at the DGCA-approved facility of M/s International Aircraft Sales Pvt. Ltd., Bhopal.

After the crash landing occurred, a special audit of M/s International Aircraft Sales Pvt. Ltd. was conducted by DGCA. "The findings of the audit have raised serious concerns on the maintenance standards being followed by the organization," the DGCA said.

Last year, after a series of serious incidents involving aircraft of M/s Red Bird Flight Training Academy Pvt. Ltd, the DGCA had suspended its operations at all its bases and there were restored only after a complete recertification of their maintenance facilities.

The two-seater aircraft, Cessna 152, crashed at the Guna airstrip on Sunday afternoon injuring two pilots. The aircraft had taken off for a test flight around 1 pm and crashed approximately 40 minutes later at the same premises. Preliminary reports suggested that engine failure may have been the cause of the crash. An investigation was then launched into the crash by the DGCA. The two injured pilots have been admitted to a hospital.

On March 6, a similar incident took place when a trainer aircraft crashed while landing at the Guna airstrip in Madhya Pradesh, in which a woman pilot suffered injuries. The aircraft, which suffered a technical snag, skidded off the runway while making an emergency landing at the Guna airstrip, and veered into rough terrain.

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