ART-2025 • Module 7 • Case Study: Jaipur Airprox
AI-689 (A321) & 9W-2827 (B737) — Single Runway Go-Around vs Departure • Human Factors / SA Breakdown
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Story / What Happened at Jaipur Narrative

  “Worst case” single-runway moment HF / SA Case

Jaipur Airport, RWY 27 in use. Single-runway environment. 9W-2827 (B737) was cleared for take-off. At the same time, AI-689 (A321) was on very short final for landing on the same runway.

AI-689 approach became unstable (energy/speed) and the crew initiated a go-around at very low altitude, just a few hundred feet AGL. They reported the go-around.

Tower had already cleared 9W-2827 for departure and did not immediately STOP that departure when AI-689 announced the go-around.

Result: now you have two aircraft climbing in the close Proximity above the same runway — one going around, one taking off.

  Runway 27 Geometry (simplified)
AI-689 (A321) — short final → “GOING AROUND” → climbs runway heading
9W-2827 (B737) — already rolling / rotating → climbs same heading
Both are now stacked almost on top of each other. Vertical and lateral separation decays in seconds.

Both crews then received TCAS Resolution Advisories (RA) and followed them. Minimum separation dropped to only a few hundred feet.

Key point for the tower
  • Go-around was declared, but departure was not stopped instantly.
  • Runway/initial climb path was effectively “occupied” by two aircraft at once.
  • TCAS, not controller action, rebuilt separation.

Minute-by-Minute Timeline Sequence

  Chain of events Seconds matter
  • ~T0: 9W-2827 cleared for take-off RWY 27 Jaipur.
  • ~T0+20s: AI-689 on very short final RWY 27, approach unstable.
  • ~T0+25s: AI-689 calls go-around and starts climbing from a few hundred feet AGL.
  • ~T0+30s: 9W-2827 is already accelerating / airborne off RWY 27.
  • ~T0+40s: Both are now climbing the same path, same runway heading.
  • ~T0+45s: TCAS RA triggers.
  • ~T0+60s: Crews follow RA instructions (adjust rate / altitude).
  • ~T0+90s: Separation re-established and conflict ends.
  The “single decision point”
Go-around is called.
Tower must IMMEDIATELY treat runway + take-off path as occupied.
If you don’t stop the departure right then, safety is lost.

AAIB India categorised this as a serious loss of separation with TCAS RA.

Human Factors / SA Breakdown Why SA Failed

  Where tower situational awareness slipped HF Focus
  • Workload spike / surprise: Tower was running a “normal” departure-then-landing flow. A last-second go-around wasn’t expected.
  • Channelised attention: Attention stayed on launching 9W-2827 instead of instantly reframing the picture after AI-689 said “going around.”
  • Expectation bias: Implicit assumption: “Arrival will land, Departure will already be gone.” Once that assumption broke, runway was still mentally considered “free.”
  • Poor immediate phraseology: Controller did not transmit “STOP DEPARTURE RUNWAY 27” at the first sign of the go-around.
  • Team SA gap: No immediate override from Assistant / Supervisor like: “STOP, GO-AROUND IN PROGRESS.”
  SA Breakdown Snapshot
PERCEPTION (Level 1): Tower heard “GO-AROUND”.
COMPREHENSION (Level 2): ❌ Did not instantly act on “Runway and initial climb path are now occupied.”
PROJECTION (Level 3): ❌ Did not predict “Both aircraft will be in same airspace in 10 seconds.”

Reality: you sometimes have only 2–4 seconds to intervene with “STOP DEPARTURE RUNWAY XX” before both aircraft are fully committed.

Separation / TCAS / Geometry Why TCAS Saved It

  Why this was so dangerous Loss of Separation
RWY 27 Climb Stack (Simplified)
  • Same physical runway, same heading, both climbing.
  • No lateral divergence initially.
  • Vertical spacing collapsed almost immediately.
  • Visual separation alone = not reliable under high workload.
  • TCAS RA became last line of defence.

After the RA:

  • Stop launching anything else.
  • Issue explicit altitude / heading blocks to keep them apart.
  • Tell Supervisor / Watch immediately. This is now a formal safety occurrence.

After any RA in your airspace, the situation is not normal anymore. until everyone is clearly separated and each aircraft has a known safe altitude / heading.

VEGT / Guwahati Action Points Local Application

  What we take from Jaipur Operational Practice
  VEGT Immediate Practice COMPLETE
Any go-around = RUNWAY LOCKED.
The moment an arrival says “going around,” treat the runway and take-off path as occupied. Nobody else moves.
Use STOP phraseology .
“STOP IMMEDIATELY [(repeat aircraft call sign) STOP IMMEDIATELY]” Say it if the aircraft is already rolling.
Controller can STOP.
Do not wait for hierarchy or permission .
Give traffic information.
“Cordinate / Inform Approach”
Confirm readback.
After that.
Log entry “Prepare Statement”
  Single-Runway Abnormal Flow (VEGT Teaching)
GO-AROUND / ABORTED LANDING / WINDSHEAR CALL
→ “STOP IMMEDIATELY [(repeat aircraft call sign) STOP IMMEDIATELY];”
→ Assign who climbs / who levels (In cordination with approach)
→ traffic information
→ No further movement until clear, positive separation exists

This is what we brief to local teams. One runway = zero forgiveness. You are allowed to shout STOP.