Pilots shut down wrong engine after take-off: DGCA probe on 2017 bird strike incident

While engine number 2 of the flight was affected due to bird strike, the pilots on GoAir's Delhi-Mumbai flight decided to shut down engine number 1, stated a report of Indian aviation watchdog DGCA on the incident that occurred on June 21, 2017.

Once the aircraft stopped climbing at an altitude of 3,330 feet, the pilots "realised their mistake", and consequently started engine 1 and brought back the plane to Delhi airport, stated the Directorate General of Civil Aviation report dated November 5, 2018.

"(The) incident was caused by incorrect identification of engine affected with high vibration followed by non-adherence to recommended procedures, lack of situational awareness, poor cockpit resource management and poor handling of aircraft during emergency subsequent to bird strike," it said.

The probe report has recommended that "suitable corrective action" should be taken for both the pilots "as deemed by the DGCA headquarters in view of the above findings".

The incident happened on ..