Biman pilot sacked over DC-10 crash
Rashidul Hasan
Biman Bangladesh Airlines authorities have axed a pilot from service as an inquiry found him responsible for the DC-10 aircraft accident last year at Shah Amanat International Airport in Chittagong. Captain Selim was given forced retirement on Thursday following a report of the inquiry committee, Biman sources said. He joined Biman in 1980 and had another seven years for normal retirement. The DC-10 narrowly escaped a disaster as it skidded off the runway while belly landing on July 3 last year. A high official of Biman said the inquiry did not find any technical fault of the aircraft, and attributed the accident to inefficiency of the pilot. The action taken against the pilot is also a warning to others negligent to their duties, some Biman officials said. All the 215 passengers and crew aboard the DC-10 survived the accident. The aircraft skidded some 12 feet off the runway and one of its wings caught fire. The mishap gave rise to allegations of inefficiency against the pilot and his being under the spell of alcoholic drinks while on duty. Two inquiry committees -- one by the Civil Aviation Authorities and another by Biman -- were formed to ascertain the cause of the incident.
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