Afghan Aircraft Lands on the Wrong Runway at Delhi Airport; Serious Accident Avoided, DGCA Orders Investigation
The Afghan plane wrong runway incident created a serious scare at Delhi’s IGI Airport when an Ariana Afghan aircraft landed on the takeoff runway instead of the assigned one. The Afghan plane incident happened after the pilot missed runway 29L and touched down on 29R, forcing authorities to launch an immediate investigation.
A serious incident was averted at IGI Airport in Delhi when an Afghan commercial flight landed on the wrong runway. ATC cleared the aircraft for runway 29L, but the pilot landed on 29R, a runway normally reserved for departures.
Pilot Attributes ILS Problem and Low Visibility
Officials state that the pilot accepted fault but did not accept weather, visibility, or the Instrument Landing System for the mistake. New Delhi has faced heavy fog and smog for several days, impacting general landings and exacerbating issues for pilots in particular.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has taken the matter seriously. They began a detailed inquiry into whether the wrong landing was caused by pilot error, technical failure, or external interference.
Officials said the Afghan plane wrong runway incident has raised serious safety concerns at Delhi Airport.
Flight From Kabul Lands on 29R Instead of 29L
Ariana Afghan Airlines Flight FG 311, arriving from Kabul, was directed by ATC to land on runway 29L but landed on runway 29R instead. A significant accident could have ensued with a second plane lined up for departure off runway 29R.
In this case, no airplane was occupying that runway, thus averting catastrophe.
- The runway incursion raises several questions:
- Did the pilot become disoriented in the approach?
- Did the weather suddenly turn?
Is this yet another instance of GPS spoofing, like the earlier reported incident at IGI Airport?
DGCA teams will review cockpit voice recordings, air traffic control conversations, weather updates, and navigation system information. Officials stated that the review would determine whether this was an isolated error or the beginning of a potentially larger aviation safety issue.
