New Delhi: The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on Thursday recommended that all international airports in India equip their air traffic control (ATC) towers with systems to record video and background communications of controllers on duty, following a serious incident at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA)in Delhi. The recommendation comes in the AAIB’s preliminary report into the unusual runway landing that occurred on November 23, 2025, when an Ariana Afghan Airlines Airbus A310-304, operating flight FG311 from Kabul, mistakenly landed on a runway designated for departures instead of the assigned landing strip.

The Incident

IGIA operates four runways: RWY09/27, RWY10/28, RWY11L/29R, and RWY29L/11R. On the day of the incident, FG311 had been cleared by Delhi ATC to land on Runway 29L, the runway assigned for arrivals. However, due to loss of Instrument Landing System (ILS) signals and poor visibility, the aircraft landed on the nearby Runway 29R, which at the time was configured exclusively for departures.

The AAIB report explains the sequence of events in detail:

• After its initial descent under Delhi Area Control, AFG311 was handed over to Approach Control and radar-vectored for an ILS approach to RWY29L.
• The aircraft reported being established on the localizer for RWY29L at 18 nautical miles (NM) from touchdown and made contact with Tower Control at 10 NM.
• The Tower Controller instructed AFG311 to continue its approach to RWY29L, which the flight crew read back correctly.
• At 2 NM from touchdown, the tower gave landing clearance for RWY29L while another aircraft, AIC2243, was departing from RWY29R.
• Despite receiving correct clearance, AFG311 landed on RWY29R at 0636:22 UTC, the runway not configured for landings, due to the pilot losing ILS guidance at 4 NM and executing a visual approach.

The AAIB highlighted that RWY29R’s approach lights, ILS, and PAPI (Precision Approach Path Indicator) were not switched on since the runway was in “Departure Only” mode. The report also noted that after landing on RWY29R, the aircraft vacated via Taxiway R and subsequently operated its next flight AFG312 to Kabul from Runway 28 later that day.

Why the Recommendation

In its preliminary findings, the AAIB emphasized that to analyze the controller’s actions during such incidents, ATC towers should be equipped with devices to record:

1. Video of controllers on duty
2. Background communications during operations

These recordings will help investigators reconstruct the events leading to incidents, assess decision-making processes, and identify potential lapses in communication or procedure.

The AAIB specifically recommended that these devices be implemented as a priority at all international airports to enhance safety and accountability in air traffic operations.

Pilot and Technical Details

The report elaborates on the technical aspects of the landing:

• The pilot-in-command (PIC) informed the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) that he lost ILS guidance at 4 NM, prompting a right turn and a visual landing on RWY29R.
• The ILS is a precision radio navigation system that guides aircraft during landings under poor visibility or nighttime conditions.
• Because RWY29R was not set up for arrivals at that time, the standard landing aids—ILS, approach lights, and PAPI—were inactive.

The AAIB noted that this incident underscores the importance of robust ATC monitoring systems and clear communication protocols, particularly at busy airports with multiple runways and complex traffic flows.

Broader Implications

The recommendation to install video and audio recording systems in ATC towers mirrors international best practices, where cockpit voice recorders (CVRs) and tower recordings provide crucial evidence during investigations. Such systems can:

• Assist in analyzing human factors in ATC decisions
• Identify gaps in standard operating procedures
• Improve training and risk mitigation strategies for future operations

The AAIB report also implicitly highlights the challenges of runway management at multi-runway airports and the critical need for pilots to correctly identify runways, especially when visual cues are limited and ILS guidance is lost.

Conclusion

The Ariana Afghan Airlines runway incident at IGIA was a rare event that could have led to severe consequences, given that the aircraft landed on an unassigned runway not equipped for arrivals. The AAIB’s recommendation to equip ATC towers with recording devices is aimed at ensuring greater accountability, situational awareness, and post-incident analysis capability. Implementing these measures at all international airports in India would align the country’s aviation safety framework with global standards, helping prevent similar incidents in the future.

This recommendation, if executed, represents a significant step toward enhancing the safety and oversight of India’s increasingly busy airspace, ensuring that both pilots and controllers have robust systems in place to manage complex air traffic operations safely.