Lok Sabha Question No. 3062 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-07
Subject: Maintenance Audit of Aircrafts
Ministry: CIVIL AVIATION
Asked by: Shri Murari Lal Meena

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION Lok Sabha

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 3062 ( TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  7th August 2025 )

## MAINTENANCE AUDIT OF AIRCRAFTS

3062.    SHRI MURARI LAL MEENA

Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION

be pleased to state:-

- (a) the frequency within which maintenance audits of aircraft of all airline companies in the country are conducted;
- (b) whether these audits are done timely by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA);
- (c)  the  details  of  maintenance  audits  conducted  for  major  airlines during  the  last  three  years  viz.  from  2022  to  2025  with  specific reference  to  flights  associated  with  Jaipur,  Jodhpur  and  Dausa  in Rajasthan;
- (d)  whether the prima facie fault of the pilot of the flight accident happened in Ahmedabad was announced by foreign media collaboratively and if so, the details thereof;
- (e) whether this attitude is against the just and unbiased investigational principles and demeans the dignity and morale of the pilots and if so, the reaction of the Government thereto; and
- (f)  whether  the  Government  has  issued  any  new  guidelines  to strengthen  pre-flight  checklists,  pilot  training  and  ground  crew responsibilities  in  order  to  prevent  such  accidents  and  if  so,  the details thereof?

## ANSWER

Minister of State in the Ministry of (Shri Murlidhar Mohol)

CIVIL  AVIATION

(a)  &  (b)  The  Directorate  General  of  Civil  Aviation  (DGCA)  has  a structured  surveillance  and  audit  framework  in  place  i.e.  planned and unplanned surveillance of Organisation /Aircrafts, which includes regular and periodic audits, spot checks, night Surveillance and  ramp  inspections  across  all  operators,  including  continuous oversight of maintenance practices.

The  Annual  Surveillance  Plan  (ASP)  for  the  year  is  prepared  in advance and the audits are conducted in a timely manner as per the Annual Surveillance Plan. The DGCA adheres to an audit calendar to ensure  continuous  oversight  of  all  schedule  and  non-schedule airline/operators.  Any  deviation  or  rescheduling  is  addressed  with urgency and reported accordingly.

; (c)  Details  of  maintenance  audits  conducted  for  major  airlines during  the  last  three  years  across  country  viz.  from  2023  to  2025 (Jan 2023 - July 2025) are attached at Annexure-A.; ; (d) to (f) Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) under Rule 11 of the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents & Incidents) Rules, 2017 has instituted investigation to determine the probable cause(s)/contributory  factor(s)  leading  to  the  accident  of  Air  India flight AI-171 at Ahmedabad on 12.06.2025. ; ; AAIB has published a preliminary report on its website www.aaib.gov.in. The preliminary report was prepared based on the available factual information and it does not contain any conclusion.; ; The  investigation  is  ongoing  and  will  examine  all  the  aspects  to determine  the  probable  cause(s)/  contributory  factor(s)  leading  to the accident. The sole objective of the investigation of an accident or  incident  shall  be  the  prevention  of  accidents  and  incidents  and not  to  apportion  blame  or  liability.  All  investigations  under  these Rules  are  conducted  in  a  fair,  impartial  and  judicious  manner, adhering to the relevant standards of Annex 13. ;

DGCA has established comprehensive guidelines to ensure the safe operation  and  maintenance  of  aircraft.  Operators  are  required  to comply  with  guidelines  issued  by  manufacturers,  such  as  Service Bulletins, Airworthiness Directives (ADs), and Maintenance Planning Documents (MPDs).

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ANNEXURE-A Audit of Scheduled Airlines for last 3 Years (Jan 2023 to July 2025) across country

| S/N   | AIRLINES                            |   2023 |   2024 |   2025 (Till July) |
|-------|-------------------------------------|--------|--------|--------------------|
| 1.    | M/s Alliance Air                    |     12 |     06 |                 04 |
| 2.    | M/s Indigo                          |    115 |     94 |                 54 |
| 3.    | M/s Spicejet                        |     47 |     50 |                 26 |
| 4.    | M/s Tata Sia Airlines Ltd (Vistara) |     46 |     35 |                  0 |
| 5.    | M/s Air India Ltd                   |     17 |     30 |                 33 |
| 6.    | M/s Air India Express               |     13 |     16 |                 11 |
| 7.    | M/s Akasa Air                       |     19 |     37 |                 18 |
|       | TOTAL                               |    269 |    268 |                146 |

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