📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / A.Savin
National
Air India Express crew error likely caused runway incursion at Goa airport in April
✍️ The Economic Times
🗓 31 Oct 2026, 04:42 PM
👁 20
An investigation by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation suggests that a lapse by the Air India Express flight crew probably triggered a runway incursion at Goa’s Dabolim airport in April.
In April, an Air India Express aircraft entered an active runway at Dabolim Airport in Goa, prompting a near‑miss with another aircraft that was about to take off. The incident was classified as a runway incursion, a serious safety breach under international aviation standards.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has released a preliminary report indicating that the crew of the Air India Express flight failed to adhere to standard taxi‑clearance procedures, leading them onto the occupied strip. The report cites a lapse in communication between the flight crew and ground control as the primary factor.
DGCA officials have warned that such procedural lapses can compromise passenger safety and have urged airlines to reinforce crew training on ground‑movement protocols. The agency has also instructed the airline to submit a detailed corrective action plan within the next fortnight.
While no injuries were reported, the incident underscores the need for stringent monitoring of runway operations at busy Indian airports. Authorities are reviewing existing safety measures at Dabolim to prevent recurrence.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has released a preliminary report indicating that the crew of the Air India Express flight failed to adhere to standard taxi‑clearance procedures, leading them onto the occupied strip. The report cites a lapse in communication between the flight crew and ground control as the primary factor.
DGCA officials have warned that such procedural lapses can compromise passenger safety and have urged airlines to reinforce crew training on ground‑movement protocols. The agency has also instructed the airline to submit a detailed corrective action plan within the next fortnight.
While no injuries were reported, the incident underscores the need for stringent monitoring of runway operations at busy Indian airports. Authorities are reviewing existing safety measures at Dabolim to prevent recurrence.