Crash of an Antonov AN-32 in the Gulf of Bengal: 29 killed

Date & Time: Jul 22, 2016
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-32
Operator:
Registration:
K2743
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Tambaram - Port Blair
MSN:
08 09
YOM:
1986
Location:
Gulf of Bengal
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
23
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
29
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft departed Tambaram AFB (southwest of Chennai) at 0830LT for a 3-hour flight to Port Blair, in the Andaman Islands. While cruising at the assigned altitude of 23,000 feet about 280 km east of Chennai, the aircraft entered a left turn then an uncontrolled descent until it crashed in the sea. SAR operations were initiated but definitively abandoned on 3 October 2016 as no trace of the aircraft nor the 29 occupants was found.

Crash of a Cessna 208 Caravan I off Port Blair: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 6, 1993 at 1132 LT
Type of aircraft:
Cessna 208A Caravan
Operator:
Registration:
VT-AAN
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Port Blair - Dugong Creek - Hut Bay - Port Blair
MSN:
208-0221
YOM:
1992
Location:
Port Blair
Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
6300
Circumstances:
Cessna 208 Caravan aircraft VT-AAN operated by Andaman and Nicobar Administration was engaged in a flight from Port Blair - Dugong Creek - Hut Bay - Port Blair. There were four persons on board the aircraft including pilot-in-command. The flight from Dugong Creek to Hut Bay was uneventful. The aircraft took-off from Hut Bay for Port Blair where it was intended to land on sea
adjacent to Viper Island. Soon after touchdown on seawater, the aircraft flipped over its nose and sank thereafter. Three persons including the pilot evacuated the aircraft. However, one person died due to drowning, as he remained strapped in his seat. The aircraft sustained substantial damage. There was no fire.
Probable cause:
The pilot failed to ensure that the landing gears are fully retracted before landing on water thereby causing the aircraft to flip on to its back as a result of abnormally high hydrodynamic drag generated on landing with landing gears remaining extended. Non-availability of the revised pilot's checklist, appropriate to the aircraft configuration and the practice adopted during conversion training of the pilot were the contributory factors.
Final Report:
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