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Journalism of Courage
In a serious incident at the Delhi airport on Sunday around noon, an Ariana Afghan Airlines aircraft mistakenly landed on the wrong runway from which another plane–an Air India aircraft–was taking off, according to a senior official with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The regulator is investigating the matter.
An Ariana Afghan Airlines Airbus A310 aircraft operating Flight FG-311 (Kabul-Delhi) was given clearance to land on runway 29L at the Delhi airport, however, the aircraft landed on the parallel runway 29R. Runway 29L was being used exclusively for landings, while 29R was in use only for take-offs, it is learnt.
As per the information provided to the DGCA by the pilot commanding the aircraft, there was a failure of the instrument landing system (ILS) before landing. As a result, the aircraft deviated from its path amid poor visibility, and ended up on the wrong runway.
While the pilot acknowledged that the air traffic control (ATC) had given landing clearance for runway 29L, he claimed that the ATC did not inform the crew that the plane had deviated from its path and was headed for the wrong runway, it is learnt. According to sources, Air India flight AI-2243 to Riyadh had just taken off from the same runway when the Ariana Afghan Airlines aircraft touched down.
The DGCA will be investigating the Afghan pilot’s claim as part of the probe, according to sources.
The ILS is a radio navigation system that provides precision guidance to aircraft approaching a runway using radio signals for lateral and vertical guidance. It is particularly useful in low-visibility conditions. In the absence of the ILS, pilots can land with a visual approach.
According to the captain, the crew realised that the aircraft was on the wrong runway only after landing and vacating the runway.
“Tower informed us that we had touched down on Runway 29R instead of Runway 29L. The runway deviation occurred as a result of the ILS system failure and the associated loss of lateral guidance in visibility,” the pilot is learnt to have said in his statement to the regulator.
