Heavy monsoon rain that battered the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) on Monday continues to make headlines, with a video of an IndiGo ATR aircraft aborting its landing at Navi Mumbai airport going viral on social media. The aircraft performed a “go-around”, a standard aviation safety procedure, after encountering adverse weather during its approach to the runway. The incident comes as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has kept Mumbai and adjoining districts under an Orange Alert for heavy rain and gusty winds.
Is aborting a landing dangerous? The truth behind go-arounds in bad weather
Although dramatic to watch, a go-around is a routine safety procedure in commercial aviation. Instead of continuing with an unsafe landing, pilots increase engine thrust, climb away from the runway and prepare for another landing attempt once conditions improve.
Such decisions are commonly taken when visibility deteriorates, the aircraft’s approach becomes unstable, the runway is obstructed, or weather conditions change rapidly. Aviation experts consider a go-around a proactive safety measure rather than an emergency.
One of the biggest weather-related threats during landing is wind shear—a sudden change in wind speed or direction over a short distance. Wind shear can significantly alter an aircraft’s lift and stability, especially during the final stages of landing or immediately after take-off.
Past aviation incidents have shown the risks posed by severe wind shear, which is why pilots undergo extensive simulator training to recognise such conditions and immediately execute a go-around whenever safety margins are compromised.
Monsoon continues to disrupt transport across Mumbai
The viral video comes against the backdrop of one of the heaviest spells of monsoon rainfall this season. Mumbai remained under an Orange Alert on Tuesday after torrential rain on Monday caused widespread flooding, landslides and transport disruptions across the region.
Authorities declared a holiday for all government, private and civic-run schools and colleges in Mumbai as a precautionary measure, while residents were advised to avoid unnecessary travel and follow official weather advisories.
The downpour also affected road connectivity. The Mumbai-bound carriageway of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway’s Missing Link remained closed for more than 18 hours after a landslide near Tunnel 2 before reopening late on Monday following safety inspections by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC).
Rail services were also disrupted after multiple landslides damaged tracks in the Karjat-Lonavala Ghat section, leading to train cancellations, diversions and delays as restoration work continued.
Rain-related incidents highlight wider impact
The spell of heavy rain has had consequences beyond transport. In Pune district, four people, including three members of a family, lost their lives in separate rain-related incidents on Monday after landslides and wall collapses triggered by incessant rainfall. Rescue teams shifted hundreds of residents from vulnerable areas as authorities remained on alert.
The IMD has warned that continued heavy rainfall, accompanied by gusty winds, could lead to waterlogging, reduced visibility and further disruption to road, rail and air services across parts of Maharashtra.
Safety takes priority during monsoon operations
While the viral video has drawn widespread attention online, aviation experts note that an aborted landing is a sign that safety systems are working as intended. Rather than attempting a risky landing in rapidly changing weather, pilots are trained to prioritise passenger safety by discontinuing the approach and trying again when conditions permit.
As Mumbai’s monsoon continues to test transport infrastructure and aviation operations, the IndiGo aircraft’s go-around serves as a reminder that weather-related precautions, though sometimes inconvenient, are an integral part of ensuring safe air travel.
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