DGCA advisory to airlines on potential rudder system issue in Boeing 737 planes
New Delhi, Oct 7: Aviation regulator DGCA on Monday issued an advisory to Indian airlines operating Boeing 737 planes regarding the potential risk of a jammed rudder control system.
The move follows the recent probe report by the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) that highlighted safety concerns involving Boeing 737 aircraft lanes equipped with Collins Aerospace SVO-730 Rudder Rollout Guidance Actuators.
Against the backdrop of the potential risk of a jammed or restricted rudder control system, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued safety recommendations to the Indian carriers.
Currently, Air India Express, Akasa Air and SpiceJet operate Boeing 737 planes.
In August, Boeing informed affected operators of 737 planes about the potential condition with the rudder rollout guidance actuator.
A SpiceJet spokesperson said none of its Boeing 737 NG aircraft are impacted.
DGCA said all flight crews are to be informed through a circular/advisory regarding the possibility of a jammed or restricted rudder control system.
"Appropriate mitigations must be communicated to help crews identify and handle such a situation," it added.
Further, all operators have been asked to conduct a safety risk assessment for aircraft to evaluate and mitigate the risk associated with the rudder control system.
The regulator also said that all Category III B approach, landing, and rollout operations, including practice or actual autoland, must be discontinued for these planes until further notice. Category III B pertains to operations in low visibility conditions.
Among other measures, airlines have been asked to mandatorily include discussion about potential rudder control system issues as a mandatory topic in recurrent training sessions.
It will also be included in the Instrument Rating/Proficiency Checks (IR/PPC) during pre-simulator briefings.
"Operators have been instructed to include specific exercises in Recurrent Training and IR/PPC that simulate scenarios involving a jammed or restricted rudder control system, including rollout procedures.
"Appropriate flight crew responses and mitigations should be practised during these exercises," the regulator said in a release.
DGCA also said the interim measures aim to enhance safety and ensure that flight crews are well-prepared to handle potential rudder control issues effectively.
The rudder rollout guidance actuator is designed to control the rudder's movement during Category III B approach, landing and rollout operations.
On September 27, Boeing in a statement had said that in August, it had informed affected 737 operators of a potential condition with the rudder rollout guidance actuator, which is part of an option autoland system.
"The autoland system includes layers of redundancy and we are working with our supplier to develop additional guidance to address the potential condition," it had said.
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CBI charge sheets Sanjay Roy for rape and murder of trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical college
New Delhi, Oct 7: Civic volunteer in Kolkata Police Sanjay Roy had raped and killed the trainee doctor in the seminar hall at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9, the CBI has alleged in its first charge sheet in the sensational case filed on Monday while ruling out "gang rape".
In the charge sheet filed before a Sealdah court 54 days after the CBI took over the investigation, the agency said that Roy had committed the crime alone and it has not found evidence so far to substantiate allegations of gang rape and involvement of other individuals, officials in the know of the developments said.
The agency told the court that it has kept the probe open into other aspects of the crime, they said.
The report had annexure carrying statements of prosecution witnesses was filed .
The local police had arrested Roy on the next day of the crime - August 10 - based on the CCTV footage and his inability to explain his conduct at the time of the crime.
The CBI heavily relied on the CCTV footage which showed Roy entering the seminar hall at around 4 AM on August 9, they said. The footage showed that he had left the room after 30 minutes, they said.
The DNA samples collected from his nails also indicated his role in the gruesome crime, they said.
The body of the trainee doctor was found at 9.30 am on August 9 by her colleague who went looking for her before starting ward rounds.
The Tala police station was informed about the "body of a lady lying in an unconscious state" and its team reached the spot around 10.30 am. Her autopsy had shown multiple internal and external injuries on the body.
The CBI has charged Roy with Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 64 and 66 pertaining to rape and 103(1) relating to murder.
Section 66 of the BNS prescribes a punishment for causing the death of a woman during rape, with a minimum of 20 years rigorous imprisonment or life imprisonment or death sentence. Under Section 103 (1), the punishment is death or imprisonment for life.
The CBI, which took over the investigation on August 14 following a Calcutta High Court order, also took Roy’s custody and conducted a detailed interrogation, followed by a polygraph test.
Roy had claimed innocence during questioning and had said that when he entered the room he found the woman doctor unconscious. He could not explain the reasons why he did not inform the police.
Roy had refused to give consent for the narco analysis, following which the CBI could not proceed with the test.
The CBI has also arrested Tala police station officer-in-charge Abhijit Mondal and former principal of the medical college Sandip Ghosh in the case. Ghosh is also facing another CBI case pertaining to alleged corruption.
The junior doctor's killing sparked protests by resident doctors across the country, demanding better security for them.
The Supreme Court also took cognisance of the case and related allegations levelled by agitating doctors and has been holding hearings on the matter.
