Controlled procedures for AGL emergency response — complete circuit failure, runway/taxiway/approach lighting failure, PAPI and stop-bar failure, CCR and major power supply failure, ALCMS failure, earth and cable faults, lightning damage, flooding and water ingress, multiple fixture failure, low-visibility failures, emergency and temporary restoration, urgent airfield repair, stakeholder coordination and post-emergency inspection. Applicable SOP range: SOP-418 to SOP-438.
Critical Operational Principle — During an AGL emergency, aviation safety and operational coordination take priority over immediate technical restoration. Maintenance personnel shall not independently decide to keep an affected runway/taxiway operational, close it, reopen it, or change its operational status. Such decisions shall follow the airport's approved emergency plan and be coordinated with the responsible ATC, Airport Operations and other designated authorities.
Emergency Response Master Principle — DETECT → ASSESS → NOTIFY → PROTECT → ISOLATE → DIAGNOSE → RESTORE → VERIFY → RELEASE → RECORD.
To establish the response to complete loss of an AGL series circuit.
After identifying the defect:
Critical Rule — Do not restore a runway lighting circuit by repeatedly resetting equipment without identifying the cause of the failure.
To manage failure of runway lighting while minimizing operational risk.
To respond to taxiway lighting failures affecting aircraft ground movement.
To respond to failure of approach lighting systems.
Any approach lighting failure with potential operational impact shall be communicated immediately through the airport's approved operational communication chain.
Important — A PAPI shall not be returned to operational service merely because the lamps/LEDs illuminate. Required functional and alignment verification shall be completed.
To respond to PAPI malfunction or loss of service.
Critical Principle — The maintenance team shall not independently establish an alternative operational procedure for a failed stop bar.
To manage failure of stop-bar lighting.
To respond to CCR failure without causing additional equipment damage.
Do Not — Do not energize large numbers of circuits simultaneously if the supply system has not been verified as stable and capable.
To manage loss of electrical power affecting AGL systems.
To respond to loss of ALCMS monitoring/control capability.
Is the failure:
Critical Rule — Never bypass or defeat CCR earth-fault protection simply to restore service.
To respond to a significant earth fault in an AGL system.
To safely respond to a major AGL cable failure.
To respond to suspected lightning damage to AGL equipment.
Immediate Rule — Do not enter or handle equipment in a flooded electrical pit until the electrical safety condition has been established.
To safely manage water accumulation in a transformer pit.
To respond to water entering AGL electrical equipment.
Determine the source:
Simply removing water without correcting the source shall not be considered complete corrective action.
Diagnostic Principle — Multiple failures often indicate a common upstream cause rather than multiple independent fixture failures.
To investigate simultaneous failure of multiple fixtures.
Important — Maintenance personnel shall not enter an active movement area simply because a failure has occurred without appropriate authorization and coordination.
To manage AGL failures occurring during low-visibility conditions.
During low visibility, operational coordination takes priority over field troubleshooting.
To restore a failed circuit safely under emergency conditions.
Critical Rule — A temporary repair shall never become an undocumented permanent installation.
To establish controlled temporary restoration when permanent repair cannot immediately be completed.
Every temporary arrangement shall have:
To manage urgent AGL repairs where delay may affect airport operations.
To establish communication between all stakeholders during an AGL emergency.
Every emergency notification should clearly state:
To verify that the AGL system and surrounding airside area are safe following an emergency event.
Electrical
Lighting
Civil
Safety
The master emergency response flow, the emergency priority matrix, the emergency response checklist and the golden rule that governs all 21 Division 20 procedures.
Every AGL emergency should follow this sequence, with diagnosis and field response running in parallel before rejoining at safe isolation:
| Failure | Initial Priority | Immediate Coordination | Typical Technical Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Complete AGL Circuit Failure | Critical | ATC + Operations | CCR/circuit/cable |
| Runway Lighting Failure | Critical | ATC + Operations | CCR/series circuit |
| Taxiway Lighting Failure | High/Critical* | ATC + Operations | Circuit/fixtures |
| Approach Lighting Failure | Critical* | ATC + Operations | Circuit/fixtures |
| PAPI Failure | Critical* | ATC + Operations | PAPI/power/alignment |
| Stop Bar Failure | Critical* | ATC + Operations | Circuit/control |
| CCR Failure | High/Critical* | Operations | CCR/input/output |
| Major Power Failure | Critical | Operations + Electrical | Power distribution |
| ALCMS Failure | High | Operations + CNS/Controls | PLC/network/HMI |
| Major Earth Fault | Critical | Operations | Cable/equipment |
| Major Cable Fault | High/Critical* | Operations | Cable/joint |
| Lightning Damage | High/Critical* | Operations | SPD/earth/equipment |
| Flooded Transformer Pit | Critical electrical hazard | Operations | Isolation/drainage |
| Water Ingress | High | Operations | Sealing/drainage |
| Multiple Fixture Failure | High/Critical* | Operations | Common upstream fault |
| Low Visibility Failure | Critical | ATC + Operations | Remote diagnosis first |
| Emergency Restoration | Critical | Operations | Safe controlled restoration |
| Temporary Restoration | High | Operations + Engineering | Temporary system |
| Urgent Airfield Repair | High/Critical* | ATC + Operations | Rapid safe repair |
| Post-Emergency Inspection | Mandatory | Operations | Full system verification |
*Operational significance depends on the affected facility, runway/taxiway configuration, lighting function and airport's approved operational procedures.
Immediate
Technical
Restoration
Closure
"During an AGL emergency, restore safety first, restore control second, restore equipment third. Never allow urgency to bypass airside coordination, electrical isolation, testing, FOD control or operational release."
Related divisions: Division 16 — AGL Inspection, Division 18 — Preventive & Corrective Maintenance, Division 21 — Documentation, Records & Reporting (failure and incident reports) and Division 22 — Training, Competency & Knowledge Management (emergency training and lessons learned).
Technical references behind the procedures in this division:
References are given at document or chapter level for technical orientation. Confirm the current edition, amendments and national adoption (for example DGCA CAR Section 4, FAA Advisory Circulars or EASA material) for each project. Approved project specifications, manufacturer instructions and the airport's own procedures take precedence, as stated in the precedence note above.
Quick answers about Emergency Response SOPs in the AGL SOP Library.
Division 20 is a set of 21 procedures (SOP-418 to SOP-438, Rev 0) for AGL emergency response. It covers complete circuit failure, runway, taxiway and approach lighting failure, PAPI and stop-bar failure, CCR and major power supply failure, ALCMS failure, earth and cable faults, lightning damage, flooding and water ingress, multiple fixture failure, low-visibility failures, emergency and temporary restoration, urgent airfield repair, stakeholder coordination and post-emergency inspection.
Not maintenance personnel. Aviation safety and operational coordination take priority over immediate technical restoration. Maintenance personnel must not independently decide to keep an affected runway or taxiway operational, close it, reopen it or change its status; such decisions follow the airport's approved emergency plan and are coordinated with ATC, Airport Operations and other designated authorities.
Failure detected and confirmed, protect personnel and aircraft, notify ATC/Operations, identify the affected area and assess operational impact, then remote diagnosis and field response, safe isolation and fault finding. Repair, electrical and functional testing, photometric testing if required, FOD check and controlled energization follow, then operational verification, ATC/Operations notification and service release. Post-emergency inspection, root-cause analysis and the emergency report close it out.
No. Do not restore a runway lighting circuit by repeatedly resetting equipment without identifying the cause of the failure (SOP-419). Notify ATC/Operations, assess operational impact, troubleshoot and restore only if authorized, verify operation and obtain ATC/Operations release.
Do not enter or handle equipment in a flooded electrical pit until the electrical safety condition has been established (SOP-430). Notify Operations, isolate the circuit under LOTO, prevent entry until authorized, remove water by a safe approved method, inspect and test equipment, and return to service only after acceptance.
Do not inspect exposed equipment while lightning activity persists (SOP-429). Notify Operations, establish safe conditions, then inspect the CCR, SPDs, control equipment, ALCMS, signs, PAPI, fixtures, transformers, cables and earthing. Check protective devices, alarms and insulation, replace damaged components, test, conduct a post-lightning inspection and document the event.
Never as an undocumented installation (SOP-435). Every temporary arrangement needs a risk assessment, technical approval, identification, installation record, inspection, test, a defined validity period and a permanent repair plan. A temporary bypass is allowed only where specifically engineered, authorized and safe.
Knowing the emergency procedure is essential. Understanding how AGL failures escalate, and how electrical and operational risks interact under pressure, takes deeper technical knowledge.
Learn through structured training covering:
Develop the technical foundation to work with AGL systems systematically, safely and confidently.
Please read before relying on any content on this page or on any SOP downloaded from it.