Air Asia Lands On Wrong Runway At Don Mueang
 

Thailand’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAAT) has reported what it describes as a “serious incident” which took place earlier this month. On May 4, an AirAsia Airbus A320-200 is reported to have landed on the wrong runway at Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport.

The Thai AirAsia aircraft departed Ranong city at 12:43 and landed on Don Muang’s unassigned 21L runway at 13:36, instead of the 21R runway as intended.

No accidents occurred as a result of the mistake, but Thailand’s CAAT has rated the incident as “serious” following standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation. Two pilots have been temporarily suspended in connection with the incident.

Landing on the wrong runway can have fatal consequences, for example the 1979 crash of Western Airlines Flight 2605 which landed on a runway which was closed for maintenance in Mexico City, killing 72 of the 89 people on board and a maintenance worker on the runway.

Thailand’s CAAT has launched an investigation into the incident which should be completed within 30 days.

Don Mueang Airport only has two runways, with a golf course in between them owned by the Royal Thai Air Force, golfers are warned by a red light whenever a plane is about to land.

AirAsia has apologised for the incident and insists it aims to always strictly adhere to relevant safety procedures.


https://royalcoastreview.com/2022/05...at-don-mueang/

The A320 has active and secondary flight plans in the FMS. With two parallel runways it's normal to approach the airport with the cleared/expected runway in the active and the other runway in the secondary. Crews have been known to get it wrong by having the runway they want in the active flight plan in the expectation that ATC will give it to them on request.

​​​​​At VTBD the runways are quite close to each other, rather than on opposite sides of the airport so not too difficult for ATC to miss.

Maybe they should change the phraseology.

"Cleared to land, keep the golf course on your left/right" as appropriate.