AAIB: Stress Management for Air Traffic Controllers

New Delhi, Sep 12 (PTI) Aircraft accident probe agency AAIB has recommended that Airports Authority of India (AAI) should put in place a stress management programme for air traffic controllers to provide psychological support after traumatic incidents.

This is part of a raft of recommendations made in the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau's final report on the airprox incident involving planes of erstwhile Vistara and Ethiopian planes that happened at the Delhi airport on November 10, 2023.

The probe agency has concluded that the serious incident was probably due to "a loss of situational awareness of the Aerodrome Controller (ADC-S2)".

The aircraft was allowed to take off from runway 29R even though the arriving aircraft's Time-to-Threshold (TTT) had already breached the minimum set value of 90 seconds while approaching dependent parallel runway 29L at the Delhi airport.

"Subsequently, the arriving aircraft, due to an unstabilised approach on finals, initiated a go-around from runway 29L and simultaneously the other aircraft got airborne from the parallel runway 29R which consequently led to intersection of their projected flight paths," the report said.

Generally, airprox refers to two aircraft being in close proximity beyond permissible limits.

The incident involved Vistara's Ahmedabad-Delhi flight and Ethiopian Airlines' flight from Delhi to Addis Ababa.

Vistara was merged with Air India in November 2024.

Cognitive overload on the ADC-S2 controller, delayed transfer of communication during missed approach and ineffective conflict resolution instructions and operational interdependency and complexity were among the contributory factors for the airprox incident, as per AAIB.

In its slew of recommendations, AAIB has suggested that the Airports Authority of India (AAI) should effectively implement procedures to promptly relieve air traffic controllers from duty after a critical incident to mitigate stress effects.

"Timely relief will help prevent impaired decision-making and reduced performance due to heightened stress levels," it noted.

Another recommendation is to implement a Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) programme for controllers to provide immediate and effective psychological support following traumatic or stressful incidents.

"The programme should include timely debriefings, peer support, and access to professional counselling services. By addressing stress in a structured and supportive manner, AAI can help controllers recover quickly, maintain performance, and reduce the risk of stress-related errors, ultimately enhancing operational safety," the report said.

According to the report, AAI should ensure that air traffic controllers coordinate via intercom and communicate exclusively in aviation English.

"Using the intercom enhances communication efficiency by providing a clear, direct, and reliable means of coordination between controllers. This minimizes background noise and potential distractions, ensuring that critical information is accurately conveyed. Communicating in aviation English, the global standard, further reduces the risk of miscommunication, especially in high-pressure situations, promoting safer and more consistent operations," it said.

Among other recommendations, AAIB has suggested that the India Meteorological Department (IMD) implement wind shear warning systems at all busy airports, adding that such systems will provide real-time wind shear alerts to both aircraft and air traffic control significantly enhancing safety during take-off and landing phases.

Generally, wind shear refers to sudden change in wind speed or direction within a narrow distance.

Also, AAI has been recommended to look at effective implementation of windshear reporting procedures to ensure timely and accurate dissemination of information, enhancing the safety of flight operations during adverse weather conditions.