Major Accident Prevented at Delhi Airport as Flight Lands on Wrong Runway
An Ariana Afghan Airlines flight landed on a runway being used for take-offs, narrowly missing a potential disaster.
New Delhi: A major tragedy was narrowly avoided at the Indira Gandhi International Airport on Sunday. An Ariana Afghan Airlines flight arriving from Kabul landed on the wrong runway, just as another plane was preparing to take off from the same spot.
Officials from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed that a full investigation has been launched into the incident.
What Happened? The incident involved an Ariana Afghan Airlines A310 aircraft, flight number FG-311. According to officials, Air Traffic Control (ATC) had given the pilot clear permission to land on Runway 29L. The captain acknowledged this instruction. However, the aircraft ended up landing on Runway 29R instead.
The Pilot’s Explanation The pilot explained that the error was caused by a technical failure and bad weather. He stated that the Instrument Landing System (ILS) failed when the plane was about 4 nautical miles away from the airport.
The ILS is a radio system that helps pilots land safely when visibility is poor, such as during rain or fog.
The pilot claimed that after the system failed, the plane drifted to the right. Because the visibility was low, he had to switch to a “visual approach” (landing by sight rather than instruments) and did not realize he was lining up with the wrong runway.
“Due to poor visibility and the failure of the ILS guidance, the aircraft unintentionally moved away from the correct path. We were not warned by the Delhi tower about this deviation,” the pilot told authorities. He noted that he only realized he was on Runway 29R after the plane had already landed.
Investigation Underway The DGCA is currently investigating whether the aircraft’s navigation system was actually faulty or if this was a case of pilot error. The investigation will determine how the plane drifted off course without correction.
