Whalesbook
Operational Gaps Exposed by Port Blair Incident
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has formally recommended creating a collaborative framework between civilian aviation safety organizations and defense entities. This proposal follows a February 2024 near-collision at Port Blair's airport involving an Air India Airbus A319 and an Indian Navy Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) MK III. The AAIB report identified the approach controller's insufficient assessment of the air traffic situation as the main cause, leading to inadequate separation between the departing commercial flight and the training helicopter. The helicopter had to take evasive action to avoid the aircraft.
Unaddressed Coordination Deficiencies
Investigations revealed a significant lack of formal information sharing between defense aviation units—including the Indian Air Force, Navy, and Army—and civilian oversight bodies like the AAIB and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). This incident shows that previous AAIB recommendations from 2021 and 2023, aimed at improving coordination with defense authorities, have not been put into practice. This missing structured interface creates a continuous risk to aviation safety, especially in shared airspace or at airports used by both military and civilian aviation.
Future Risk Mitigation Strategies
To prevent such risks, the AAIB stressed the immediate need to implement its existing recommendations and formalize the proposed collaboration structure. A specific suggestion is for the Indian Navy to look into adding a secondary surveillance radar system at Port Blair to improve air traffic monitoring. The AAIB also proposed that the DGCA update its Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) to include investigations involving defense aircraft and incidents at defense airfields. Air India was advised to improve radio communication discipline among its flight crews for clearer and more precise communication during critical flight phases. These steps aim to fix the information and operational gaps that led to the Port Blair near-miss.