Near Miss: Air Traffic Anomaly at Delhi Airport

A potential collision was avoided at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport when an Ariana Afghan Airlines flight from Kabul accidentally landed on an active runway. The misjudgment occurred due to a malfunctioning Instrument Landing System (ILS). Investigations by the DGCA are underway into this air traffic incident.

A potentially disastrous collision was narrowly avoided at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi, as an Ariana Afghan Airlines flight from Kabul mistakenly landed on an active runway, according to a senior official from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

The incident unfolded when the Ariana Afghan Airlines A310 flight FG-311, destined for runway 29L, veered off course, ultimately touching down on runway 29R. The aircraft's pilot-in-command attributed the error to a loss of the Instrument Landing System (ILS) at a crucial moment, four nautical miles from the airport.

The ILS, a critical aid for navigation that ensures safe landings in poor visibility conditions, reportedly malfunctioned, forcing the pilot to land using visual cues. A probe is now underway to uncover the reasons behind this technical glitch, as airport authorities aim to prevent similar occurrences in the future.

(With inputs from agencies.)