A serious runway incursion involving an Air India A320 at Goa’s Manohar International Airport in December 2024 has prompted safety concerns across India’s aviation sector. A final report by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) revealed that the incident was caused by cockpit crew misjudgment and a breakdown in adherence to air traffic control (ATC) instructions. The aircraft, intended for a Hyderabad-bound flight, mistakenly attempted take-off from a taxiway instead of the designated runway, prompting last-minute intervention by ATC. The episode highlights urgent needs for enhanced pilot training, technological upgrades, and procedural clarity at Indian airports.
Incident Overview: A Breakdown in Cockpit and Ground Coordination
On December 5, 2024, an Air India A320, operating as Flight AIC2592 from Goa to Hyderabad, was involved in a serious runway incursion incident at Manohar International Airport. The aircraft, carrying 158 passengers including seven crew members, inadvertently lined up on a taxiway (TWY A) instead of the assigned runway RWY28, initiating a take-off roll before being ordered by ATC to abort.
The report by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) attributes the near-miss primarily to deficient situational awareness among the cockpit crew and failure to strictly follow ATC instructions. The crew had been cleared to taxi via TWY A5, which connects directly to the runway. However, they lined up instead on a parallel taxiway—an error that could have resulted in catastrophe.
Factors Behind the Error: Cognitive Overload and Crew Distraction
The AAIB analysis emphasizes that once ATC issued take-off clearance, the crew’s cognitive focus may have narrowed excessively, triggering an expectation bias. The pilots likely assumed they were in the correct position and proceeded with final take-off checks.
According to the findings:
- The Pilot Monitoring (PM) was preoccupied with reactivating the Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) screen and failed to cross-check the aircraft’s position.
- The Pilot in Command (PIC) did not confirm the proper intersection before initiating lineup procedures.
- The take-off clearance was prematurely issued by ATC before the aircraft reached the correct holding point, adding to the confusion.
This sequence of missteps illustrates how technological distractions, incomplete cross-verification, and procedural deviations can converge dangerously in high-stakes environments.
Lack of Airport Technology: An Invisible Contributor
A notable gap identified in the AAIB report was the absence of an Advanced Surface Movement Guidance and Control System (A-SMGCS) at the airport. Such systems provide real-time ground surveillance and aircraft tracking for both ATC and flight crews, significantly enhancing ground movement situational awareness, especially in complex or congested airports.
Given Manohar International Airport’s layout and relatively new infrastructure, the lack of A-SMGCS represents a missed opportunity for preventive oversight. Its installation could have enabled ATC to detect and correct the misalignment earlier, potentially preventing the aborted take-off.
Safety Recommendations: Toward a More Resilient System
In light of the investigation, AAIB has issued several critical recommendations:
- Cockpit Crew Protocols: Operators must ensure that pilots use Aircraft Moving Map (AMM) functionality in their EFBs to verify position before line-up and take-off.
- Electronic Flight Bag Optimization: Coordination with IT teams to prevent EFB screens from entering sleep mode mid-operation is crucial to ensure real-time navigation support.
- Revised ATC Procedures: The Airports Authority of India (AAI) should delay issuing take-off clearance until the aircraft has entered a clearly defined taxi route that leads to the final holding point.
- Technological Investments: AAI is encouraged to deploy A-SMGCS at Manohar International Airport and other critical hubs to enable visual verification of aircraft positions during ground operations.
These recommendations are designed to mitigate risks associated with runway and taxiway confusion—among the most dangerous categories of aviation incidents.
Implications for Air India and Aviation Safety in India
While no injuries or aircraft damage occurred, this event casts a spotlight on operational lapses at multiple levels—from ATC coordination to cockpit discipline. For Air India, which is undergoing a broader transformation under the Tata Group’s ownership, this incident underscores the pressing need for:
- Enhanced simulator-based crew training focused on ground navigation
- Stricter standard operating procedures (SOPs) and adherence to checklists
- Upgrades to aircraft navigation systems and cockpit resource management tools
In the broader context of India's rapidly expanding civil aviation landscape, the incident serves as a wake-up call. As more tier-two airports like Goa’s Manohar International come online, infrastructure investment must match operational complexity to avoid over-reliance on pilot intuition.
Conclusion: A Teachable Moment in Indian Aviation
The December 2024 near-miss incident involving Air India was narrowly averted but carries serious lessons. It illuminates the vulnerabilities that still exist within India’s aviation ecosystem—where procedural oversights, technological limitations, and human error can intersect with potentially fatal consequences.
This case must serve not only as a catalyst for improved ground safety standards but also as a call for integrating intelligent systems into routine operations. The path forward requires accountability, investment, and a firm commitment to aviation safety culture—one that begins not in the skies, but on the tarmac.
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