Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji

Panaji, Aug 18: A serious runway incident at Goa’s Manohar International Airport (MIA) last December, involving an Air India flight aborting take-off, has been attributed to human error and missing infrastructure, according to the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).

In a final 16-page report released last week, the AAIB concluded that “situational awareness deficit” among the flight crew and the absence of Advanced Surface Movement Guidance and Control System (A-SMGCS) were key contributors to the incident.

The incident occurred on December 5, 2024, when Air India Flight AIC 2592, bound for Hyderabad with 151 passengers and 7 crew, mistakenly entered Taxiway A instead of Taxiway A5, the assigned path for take-off from Runway 28. The aircraft began accelerating before air traffic control (ATC) urgently ordered the pilots to abort — a directive they followed, averting a potential disaster.

Crew Lost Focus, Missed Visual Cues

The AAIB report revealed that the flight crew’s focus shifted entirely to preparing for take-off after receiving clearance from ATC, which narrowed their attention and led to expectation bias and cognitive overload.

“This shift may have diminished their situational awareness, resulting in failure to recognise the visual cues indicating they were at the taxiway intersection,” the report noted.

In addition, the co-pilot was distracted, attempting to reboot the Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) system to begin the line-up checklist. During this period, he failed to verify the aircraft’s position, while the flying pilot incorrectly aligned the aircraft on the wrong taxiway.

Infrastructure Gaps at Airport

At the time of the incident, MIA lacked the A-SMGCS system, a radar-based tool that assists pilots and ATC in safely navigating aircraft on the ground. The system was installed a month later in January 2025, in response to AAIB’s recommendations.

The absence of A-SMGCS was identified as a critical shortcoming that may have impaired both ATC and pilot visibility of the aircraft’s position on the airfield.

AAIB Recommendations

The AAIB issued several safety recommendations:

• Air India and DGCA should work with IT departments to ensure EFB systems do not enter sleep mode during critical phases of operation.
• Airlines should instruct cockpit crews to cross-verify aircraft position using the Aircraft Moving Map in conjunction with primary navigation displays before take-off.
• Regular reinforcement of standard operating procedures (SOPs) for ground navigation must be ensured.

A Wake-Up Call

While the incident did not result in casualties or damage, the AAIB has classified it as a “serious incident”, serving as a warning to both airlines and airport authorities about the importance of technology integration, procedural adherence, and human factors training in aviation safety.

The report also underscores a growing demand for upgrading infrastructure at newer airports, especially those like MIA handling an increasing volume of commercial traffic.