DGCA investigating pushback tractor fire incident at Mumbai airport

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation is investigating a fire in a tractor that was being readied to push back an Air India Airbus A320 aircraft at Mumbai airport on Monday morning. No injuries were reported and there was no damage to the Air India plane, which eventually took off for Jamnagar after a slight delay.

Pushback is the process of moving an aircraft from its parking position using ground support equipment like tugs or tractors.

“The pushback tractor was connected to the aircraft with a tow bar. On observing smoke the tractor was detached and taken behind,” said an official aware of the incident.

Personnel of AI Airport Services Limited which carries out ground handling services for Air India tried to douse flames with extinguishers. Showing presence of mind, one of the employees drove a baggage tractor to push the burning tractor further away from the aircraft. The airport’s firefighting service later joined to control the fire.

The DGCA’s air safety department is probing the incident and further action will be taken on the basis of the outcome, an official said.