UP Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak's aircraft aborts takeoff due to technical snag

A UP govt aircraft with deputy CM Brajesh Pathak onboard developed a technical snag when it was rolling on the runway after receiving clearance from the air traffic control at Moradabad airport on Monday afternoon. The pilot aborted the take off as a precautionary measure. The incident occurred around 4.15pm. Pathak had boarded the seven seater Beechcraft King Air B200 aircraft, bearing tail registration VT-UPR, for Lucknow after attending BJP’s divisional training programme in Moradabad. Sources said Pathak remained in Moradabad till evening while the district administration made alternative arrangements for his return to Lucknow by road. “While rolling on the runway, the pilot detected some technical issue with the aircraft, following which he aborted the take off,” Pathak later told TOI. Pathak said that while deboarding after the snag he noticed smoke emanating from a section of the aircraft. A Moradabad airport official told TOI that there was no issue with the aircraft engine, though the pilot detected a snag during take off procedures. However, another official source claimed that the problem was linked to the aircraft’s fuel control unit (FCU). The source added that the same aircraft had experienced FCU related issues nearly two months ago as well. FCU is a crucial component that regulates the exact amount of fuel supplied to the engine. Officials said the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is likely to order an inquiry to determine the cause of the technical fault. “If the issue was indeed related to the FCU, then the deputy CM and the crew were fortunate that the takeoff was aborted,” said a source. The aircraft with Pathak onboard departed from Lucknow for Moradabad around 10.15am on Sunday and later returned to Lucknow while Pathak stayed back in Moradabad. It again left for Moradabad around 3.12pm on Monday and reached there at 3.48 pm. The aircraft VT-UPR was commissioned into service with UP govt in Aug 2003. The King Air B200 is a twin turboprop aircraft powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-42 engines.