Air India flew aircraft with lapsed airworthiness certificate; DGCA orders probe & grounds the plane

NEW DELHI: Air India has yet again earned regulatory ire, this time for operating eight commercial flights on an aircraft with a lapsed “airworthiness review certificate” (ARC). The regulator has ordered the aircraft to be grounded and initiated a probe into this lapse. Flying an aircraft without an airworthiness certificate means potentially endangering everyone on board.

“Concerned personnel have been de-roaster with immediate effect pending investigation. On the instructions of DGCA, Air India is carrying out an internal investigation to identify deficiencies in their system and put corrective measures in place to prevent such failures from occurring in future,” the regulator said in a statement. AI had on Nov 26, 2025, informed the DGCA about flying the aircraft on an expired ARC for eight revenue sectors.

In the past few months, AI has been ticked off by the DGCA for reasons like faulty rostering and scheduling of crew. A few weeks back, an AI pilot had operated a flight without undergoing mandatory corrective training after not being able to clear the bi-annual pilot proficiency check (PPC) - instrument rating (IR) test. While this is not an out of the ordinary occurrence, pilots have to mandatorily undergo corrective training and get their proficiency rechecked to a satisfactory level of performance before they can fly again.




About the latest case involving operating an aircraft with a lapsed ARC, the DGCA said in a statement: “Under delegated authority, Air India issues ARC in respect of aircraft it operates. ARC is issued annually in respect of an aircraft after a comprehensive review of its maintenance records, physical condition and verification of compliance with all airworthiness standards. It acts as a validation of the aircraft's main ‘certificate of airworthiness’ (C of A.)”

“As part of the merger process of Vistara into Air India in the year 2024, in respect of all the 70 Vistara Aircraft it was decided that the first ARC renewal post-merger will be done by the DGCA. Till date ARC for 69 aircraft has been issued by DGCA after satisfactory compliance by the operator. In respect of the 70th aircraft, the operator filed an application with the DGCA and subsequently the aircraft was grounded for engine change. During this period the ARC expired, however the aircraft was released for service after engine change,” the regulator said.

Comments have been sought from AI on the lapsed ARC issue and are awaited.

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