New Delhi: A major accident was averted at the Delhi airport on Wednesday morning after two Vistara Airlines aircraft were given permission for landing and take off at the same time, reported news agency ANI. As per the agency, the take-off was aborted after instructions from Air Traffic Control (ATC).
Aviation regulator DGCA will probe the incident, PTI reported citing an official.
According to ANI, the incident took place when Flight UK725 from Delhi to Bagdogra was taking off from the newly inaugurated runway, while another Vistara flight from Ahmedabad to Delhi, after landing on a parallel runway, was moving towards the end of the runway.
“Both were given permission at the same time but ATC took control immediately. The ATC (Air Traffic Control) officer on duty asked Vistara flight to abort take-off,” an official, who was aware of the developments, told ANI.
Soon after the take-off was aborted, the Delhi-Bagdogra flight returned to the parking bay from the active runway.
According to the officials, the plane was refueled to ensure that it had enough fuel to return to Delhi if the pilot encountered bad weather conditions at Bagdogra, reported ANI. The braking system was also checked, they said.
Speaking about the incident, Delhi airport officials said that if the flight taking off was not stopped at the right time, a major accident could have happened.
According to Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), no aircraft or vehicle movement is allowed during the process of take-off and landing.
Senior pilot and founder of Safety Matters Foundation, Capt Amit Singh told ANI, "Flight operations from closely spaced runways require enhanced monitoring and stricter compliance with SOPs to avoid a potential traffic collision due to the proximity of the flight path".
He further stated, "Normally a take-off clearance is not issued to an aircraft on one runway unless the aircraft on the second runway has landed."
“However, due to a lapse if the aircraft is permitted to take off from one runway and the aircraft approaching on the second runway decides to abort the landing and carry out a go-around to climb ahead, the flight path of the two aircraft in the air may come in conflict since the runway they were aligned to were closely spaced,” he added.