‘Flight was unsafe’: DMK MP P Wilson alleges engine failure, seeks DGCA review

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP P Wilson on Monday raised concerns over aviation safety after an IndiGo flight from Kolkata to Shillong was cancelled following an engine failure while taxiing, alleging that the aircraft was "unsafe" and questioning how it was granted an airworthiness certificate.

India’s largest airline has already revised fuel charges on domestic and international routes amid a sustained increase in jet fuel prices. (REUTERS)Seeking the intervention of Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, Wilson urged the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to conduct an impartial review of airworthiness certificates of all aircraft operating across the country and undertake surprise inspections to ensure passenger safety.

In a post on X, Wilson said he was travelling on IndiGo flight 6E 7423 from Kolkata to Shillong along with three other MPs and 67 passengers to attend a Joint Parliamentary Committee public hearing when the aircraft suddenly stopped while taxiing towards the runway.

"Today, when I, along with three other MPs and 67 passengers, boarded IndiGo flight 6E 7423 @IndiGo6E from Kolkata Airport to Shillong to attend a Joint Parliamentary Committee public hearing, the flight suddenly stopped while taxiing from the parking bay towards the runway.

Before take-off, an engine failed and was shut down. Passengers were stranded on board for about two hours. Afterwards, the pilot announced a technical glitch and cancelled the flight," he said. Wilson alleged the incident raised serious concerns about the regulatory checks carried out before aircraft are permitted to operate.

"The truth is that the flight was unsafe, and it is unclear how the DGCA (@DGCAIndia) granted this aircraft an airworthiness certificate--a serious violation," he said. He urged the Civil Aviation Minister to direct the DGCA to review all airworthiness certificates and establish whether aircraft operating across the country were genuinely fit to fly.

He also called for surprise inspections by vigilance units wherever required. "If they are not, the DGCA should cancel their certificates, ground the aircraft and prohibit them from flying," Wilson said. The DMK MP further alleged an "unholy nexus" between certain airlines and DGCA officials, claiming that it allows unsafe aircraft, sometimes without certificates, to continue operating.

"The unholy nexus between some airlines and some DGCA officials that allows them to operate unsafe aircraft, sometimes without certificates, often leads to flight crashes (e.g. AI 171)," he alleged. Highlighting the risks faced by passengers, Wilson questioned the consequences of technical failures occurring during a flight and said people travel by air trusting that the aircraft are safe.

"The innocent public trusts that flights are safe and undertakes journeys. What happens if a flight develops technical snags in mid-air?" he said. Emphasising the importance of airworthiness certification, he said it was the most fundamental assurance that an aircraft was technically safe to fly.

"Airworthiness certification is the most fundamental assurance that an aircraft is technically safe to fly. An airworthiness certificate cannot be allowed to remain valid for an aircraft that is truly unworthy to fly," Wilson said.

He added that any compromise in the certification process directly affects passenger safety, operational integrity and global regulatory norms. Calling for accountability, Wilson demanded punishment for those responsible for allowing unsafe aircraft to operate and sought strict action against officials found guilty of wrongdoing.

"The offenders should be punished, and erring officials should be sacked," he said.