SINGAPORE, Nov 28 — A Singapore Airlines (SIA) Airbus A380 rolled backwards after being parked at New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport on Monday, reportedly because the pilots forgot to apply the parking brake.
Times of India reported today that the pilots quickly realised their mistake and engaged the brake. The aircraft did not collide with any other plane or vehicle during the incident.
A spokesman for the airline told The Straits Times that the aircraft, operating flight SQ406 from Singapore, had just arrived when the incident occurred at approximately 8pm.
“The pilot immediately applied the brakes to halt the aircraft. Once stationary, the pilots informed air traffic control, and ground staff safely towed the aircraft back to its parking bay,” the spokesman was quoted as saying to the Singapore national daily today.
The spokesman confirmed that a stewardess suffered a bruise on her thigh during the incident. No other injuries were reported, and all 459 passengers and 25 crew disembarked safely.
The injured stewardess received medical attention and has been cleared to resume her duties, the spokesman added.
Times of India reported yesterday that the parking bay has a slight slope, which may have contributed to the rollback.
SIA is investigating the cause, with a spokesman emphasising that “the safety of our customers and crew is always our top priority.”
International aviation guidelines, primarily governed by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and local airport regulations, require pilots to engage parking brakes, shut down engines, and secure the aircraft with chocks to prevent movement.
Additionally, aircraft must be parked with sufficient clearance from other planes, and ground personnel must follow safety protocols for fuelling, loading, and securing the aircraft.
Communication between pilots and ground staff is crucial to ensure all procedures are followed and the aircraft remains securely parked.
