Timely intervention by ATC averts major mishap at Gaya airport

Gaya: A timely intervention by the Air Traffic Control (ATC) averted a major mishap at the Gaya airport after a Myanmar Airways International aircraft intruded into the runway on which an Air India aircraft was to land.

Aviation regulator DGCA has started its probe in to the incident, which took place on Wednesday, sources said.

The incident apparently happened due to some "miscommunication," issue, sources said.

According to sources Myanmar Airways Yangon bound flight MMA 602 was given "clearance" for taxiing by the ATC to a "holding point" via alpha taxiways.

Around the same time, an Air India flight from Rangoon for Delhi via Gaya, which was about 6 nautical miles, was to land a little later.

"The Air Traffic Control, however, noticed that the aircraft had breached the holding point on runway 2A, forcing the ATC to instruct commander to manoeuvre the area and come back to the holding point," Gaya airport sources said.

Luckily, Air India flight was not cleared for landing till that time, they said adding that, "a prompt action by the ATC averted a mishap."

"It was a runway incursion as the pilot did not have the clearance beyond the particular holding point. While investigation will establish the exact cause of the incident, at this it appears to be a case of miscommunication," they added.

The incident was reported to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, which has started its probe, sources said.