Massive Disruption: IAF Orders Court of Inquiry After Fighter Jet Hard Landing Shuts Down Pune Airport

Massive Disruption: IAF Orders Court of Inquiry After Fighter Jet Hard Landing Shuts Down Pune Airport​

The Pune airport resumed full operational capacity Saturday morning, a day after a Sukhoi-30MKI fighter aircraft made a hard landing that temporarily shut down airport services. Following the incident, the Indian Air Force (IAF) swiftly ordered a comprehensive court of inquiry to investigate the details of the disruption.

Sources confirmed that the initial hard landing, which damaged the runway, severely impacted day-to-day operations at the facility. Defence sources specified that the fighter aircraft was involved in the incident, and the impact caused damage requiring immediate runway intervention.

Runway Closure and Initial Impact​

The temporary closure of the airport, which occurred late Friday night, had significant consequences for flight schedules. Airport authorities confirmed that the closure led to 12 incoming flights being diverted, alongside the cancellation of 73 flights.

The airport utilizes a crucial dual-use model, seamlessly integrating active Air Force operations with civilian commercial flights. This dual role meant that the runway blockage significantly impacted both facets of airport activity.

Technical Snag Triggers Suspension​

Airport Director Santosh Dhoke attributed the stoppage to an undercarriage-related technical issue that occurred during landing at approximately 10:25 pm on Friday. Due to the aircraft's position and the resulting damage, a NOTAM was issued, initially closing the runway until 5:30 am, and later extended until 9 am to facilitate cleanup and inspection.

As stated by the IAF, the aircraft became immobilized on the runway. Both pilots were reported safe following the incident.

Inquiry Launched Into Hard Landing Incident​

In response to the operational disruption, the IAF spokesperson, Wing Commander Jaideep Singh, confirmed that a formal court of inquiry has been established to probe the circumstances surrounding the hard landing.

Investigators are examining multiple factors to determine the root cause. An expert noted that the inquiry scope includes assessing whether the pilot exceeded permissible vertical speed during the landing approach. Furthermore, investigators will scrutinize the altitude at which the pilot initially sighted the runway.

Full Restoration of Aviation Services​

Despite the challenging conditions, the IAF team worked through the night to clear the runway and ensure a safe resumption of flights. Defence PRO (Southern Command), Ankush Chavan, confirmed that operations have now been restored to full normalcy.

Chavan detailed that the IAF team deployed specialist expertise and indigenous mechanical resources to restore operations within a compressed timeframe. With the runway declared operational, flight services successfully recommenced on Saturday morning, allowing the airport to stabilize its commercial and military schedules.

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