History of the Flight
On December 5, 2024, Air India flight AIC2592, an Airbus A320-251N (registration VT-EXT), was scheduled to operate from Manohar International Airport (MOPA), Goa, to Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad. The aircraft had arrived at MOPA at 1454 UTC, and the planned departure time for the return leg was 15:35 UTC.
After completing flight preparation, the crew requested departure clearance from ATC at 15:23:26 UTC. Clearance was issued at 15:24:40 UTC and correctly read back. At 15:33:19 UTC, pushback permission was granted. At 15:41:57 UTC, the crew requested taxi instructions. ATC confirmed that the aircraft could depart from the TWY 'A5' intersection with Runway 28, and the crew agreed. Taxi clearance was issued via TWY 'D', 'E', 'A', 'A5', which the crew read back correctly and began taxiing at 15:42:47 UTC.
At 15:45:56 UTC, while on TWY 'E', the crew reported being fully ready. ATC instructed the aircraft to line up on Runway 28 via TWY 'A5', and the crew acknowledged. Take-off clearance was subsequently issued. However, instead of lining up on Runway 28, the aircraft lined up on TWY 'A', which runs parallel to the runway.
The aircraft began its take-off roll on TWY 'A'. At 15:47:50 UTC, the tower controller noticed the aircraft appeared larger than usual and cancelled the take-off clearance. The crew acknowledged and initiated a rejected take-off. The aircraft came to a stop at the junction of TWY 'A' and TWY 'W', having reached a maximum speed of 124 knots. The calculated performance speeds were V1: 138 knots, VR: 138 knots, V2: 139 knots.
ATC confirmed with the flight crew whether the aircraft was on Runway 28 or TWY 'A'; the pilot-in-command apologized. The aircraft then taxied back to the bay via a designated route. A 'Follow Me' vehicle inspected TWY 'A' and reported it fit for operation.
Injuries and Damage
There were no injuries to any of the 158 persons on board (7 crew, 151 passengers). No damage to the aircraft or other property was reported.
Probable Cause
The incident occurred due to the pilot flying (PF) inadvertently lining up on TWY 'A' instead of Runway 28 during night operations due to the presence of similar lighting configuration and visual cues between the taxiway and the runway, leading to a failure of the flight crew to correctly identify the intended runway.