Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI/PUNE: IAF ordered Saturday a court of inquiry into a hard landing by a Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jet in Pune, as flight operations at the civil-military airport resumed after an overnight shutdown of nearly 10 hours. IAF spokesperson Wing Commander Jaideep Singh confirmed the probe. He also said: “Work was done at a war footing last night to remove the aircraft from the runway and make the runway operational. Airport operations started this morning.” Senior officers said investigators will examine multiple factors, including aircraft’s vertical speed at touchdown and pilots’ response. “Usually, multiple factors are responsible for a heavy landing of any fighter jet. The technical team will examine each system thoroughly to identify any technical error. One of the crucial elements is the oleo-pneumatic system. It helps ascertain the landing impact,” an officer said on condition of anonymity. The aircraft suffered an undercarriage failure during landing on Friday, leaving it stranded on the runway.
