DID Press: A potentially dangerous aviation incident was narrowly avoided at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi when Ariana Afghan Airlines flight FG-311 mistakenly landed on runway 29R instead of the authorized 29L, while another aircraft was taking off on the same runway.
According to a senior official from India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the operational error could have resulted in a collision between the two planes. A formal investigation into the incident has been launched.
The flight’s pilot reported that approximately four nautical miles from the runway, the Instrument Landing System (ILS) failed, causing the aircraft to drift to the right. The pilot said he was forced to conduct a visual landing on runway 29R. Tower authorities had previously issued clearance only for runway 29L.
Officials noted that the disruption occurred after the aircraft passed the “final approach fix,” and in low-visibility conditions, lateral guidance was lost, resulting in the unintended deviation. The pilot also said that the Delhi control tower did not issue any warning about the course deviation.
A DGCA official added that it is not yet clear whether the malfunction originated from the aircraft’s ILS or other factors.
Investigations to determine the exact cause of the incident are ongoing.