Saudi Arabia’s Aviation Investigation Bureau (AIB) on Monday said the Mumbai-bound Jet Airways Boeing 737, involved in an incident of skidding and evacuation of passengers, was trying to take off from a taxiway and not the designated runway of Riyadh airport.
Jet Airways had on August 3 informed aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) that its aircraft departed the runway after pilots noticed a barrier. Hard braking to abort take off was believed to be the reason for the aircraft skidding to an unpaved area of King Khalid International Airport.
The Saudi regulator, which is jointly probing the incident with the Ministry of Civil Aviation's Aircraft Accident Investigation Board (AAIB), said that the pilots had attempted to take off using full power from a taxiway parallel to the runway from where it was meant to get air borne for Mumbai.
In a statement, the AIB said: "Jet Airways Boeing-737 (VT-JFS) flight (9W) 523 headed to Mumbai with 141 passengers and seven crew members overshot taxiway at King Khalid International Airport at Riyadh.
“Initial factual information confirms that the aircraft attempted take off from taxiway parallel to take off-designated runway while visibility was high and no obstacles or foreign object debris on the taxiway. The aircraft accelerated with full take off power and exceeded the taxiway on to an unpaved area ending up close to the exit of taxiway."
Following the report by the Saudi agency, the DGCA has suspended the licences of both the pilots pending investigation.
