Russia restricts visual approaches after S7 A320 landed on closed runway

Rosaviatsia, Russia's aviation regulator, is moving to restrict visual approaches at airports where runway construction could confuse flight crews about which runway is active. The step follows an incident on 5 July in which an S7 Airlines Airbus A320, registered RA-73401, landed on a closed runway at Makhachkala airport.

The crew had originally planned an instrument landing system approach to the operational runway, numbered 14 in the opposite direction from the runway they eventually used, according to the regulator. Instead, they touched down on a parallel runway undergoing construction work at the time.

Rosaviatsia said the published aeronautical information for Makhachkala made no mention of the construction, and no NOTAM had been issued to alert operators. Warning signs meant to mark the closed runway as unusable were also absent. No construction machinery, however, was on the surface when the aircraft landed. No injuries or damage were reported.

In response, the regulator is recommending that airlines amend their flight operations manuals to prohibit or restrict visual approaches at airports with active runway construction or repair work, for as long as the related NOTAMs remain valid. The restriction would also cover airport areas near construction sites if they risk complicating a pilot's visual orientation or creating false landmarks.

Under the proposed rules, crews would be required to prioritize precision or non-precision instrument approaches under these conditions. Descent for final approach would only be allowed once the correct runway has been positively identified through both instruments and visual confirmation, Rosaviatsia said.