Afghan flight lands on wrong Delhi runway; probe ordered
Afghan flight lands on wrong Delhi runway; probe ordered
An Ariana Afghan Airlines A310 landed on a departure runway at Delhi's IGIA, prompting a probe as authorities review guidance signals and weather-related factors.
Ariana Afghan Airlines' Airbus A310, flight FG-311 from Kabul, landed on the wrong runway at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport, touching down on runway 29R instead of 29L. Delhi's IGIA handles around 1,200 flights daily and operates four runways, including the newer 29L/11R and 29R/11L alongside the older 27/09 and 28/10. The incident prompted a formal investigation after officials said the aircraft was cleared to land on 29L, the designated landing runway, while 29R is used for departures.
Preliminary findings indicate no error by air traffic control in instructing the approach, and a written statement has been sought from the crew as the DGCA investigates. The pilot reported that he was established on the Instrument Landing System approach for 29L, but both ILS signals apparently malfunctioned after the final approach fix, with poor visibility and a loss of lateral guidance suspected to have contributed to the deviation from the intended path. The cockpit crew only became aware of the mislanding after vacating the runway.
Officials noted that 29R was clear when the landing occurred, and that the incident could have resulted in a greater disaster if the runway had hosted other traffic. The new runway, opened in 2023, remains a key part of IGIA's upgrade, and authorities say safety reviews will continue as part of the investigation.
Cover image source: Near-collision averted at Delhi airport as Afghan airline flight lands on wrong runway 🔗
