A major safety risk emerged at Delhi Airport on Sunday afternoon. The Airbus A310 operated by Ariana Afghan Airlines, approaching to complete its FG-311 Kabul–Delhi flight, mistakenly landed on runway 29R — a parallel runway used for departures — despite having received clearance to land on runway 29L.
The incident was confirmed by a senior official from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The regulatory body has launched a large-scale investigation into this runway deviation case, which posed a serious safety risk.
Air India Aircraft Had Just Taken Off
According to sources, as the Afghan carrier’s aircraft touched down on runway 29R, an Air India flight operating AI-2243 to Riyadh had taken off from the same runway moments earlier. This detail elevated the severity of the incident even further.
ILS Failure and Low Visibility: Pilot Admitted They Deviated from the Course
The captain of the aircraft stated to the regulator that there was an Instrument Landing System (ILS) malfunction during the approach. The malfunction led to a loss of lateral guidance, particularly under low-visibility conditions, causing the aircraft to drift off the intended path and enter the wrong runway.
Key points from the pilot’s statement:
He acknowledged that ATC had cleared them to land on runway 29L.
He claimed, however, that ATC did not notify the cockpit when they noticed the aircraft was deviating.
It was noted that the crew realised they had landed on the wrong runway only after the landing was completed and the aircraft vacated the runway.
According to the captain’s statement:
“The tower informed us that we had landed on runway 29R instead of 29L. The deviation occurred due to an ILS failure and the resulting loss of lateral guidance.”
DGCA Launched an Investigation
The DGCA is conducting a detailed inquiry covering the Afghan pilot’s claims and the responsibilities of air traffic control. The incident has raised serious concerns regarding runway safety at the high-traffic Delhi Airport.
What Is ILS?
ILS (Instrument Landing System) is a precision radio navigation system that provides lateral and vertical guidance to aircraft on approach, and is particularly critical under low-visibility conditions. When the system fails, pilots can conduct a visual approach, but this significantly increases the risks.
