Crash of a Douglas DC-8-43 near Junnar: 94 killed
Date & Time:
Jul 7, 1962 at 0010 LT
Operator:
Registration:
I-DIWD
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Sydney – Darwin – Singapore – Bangkok – Bombay – Karachi – Tehran – Rome
MSN:
45631
YOM:
1962
Flight number:
AZ771
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
85
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
94
Captain / Total hours on type:
1396.00
Copilot / Total hours on type:
1672
Aircraft flight hours:
964
Circumstances:
The crew was preparing to land at Bombay-Santa Cruz Airport runway 27 and was cleared to descend to 4,000 feet. After several errors, the pilot-in-command started the descent prematurely and while at an altitude of 3,600 feet, the airplane struck the slope of Mt Davandyachi (1,080 m high) located about eight km north of Junnar. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 94 occupants were killed. At the time of the accident, the airplane was off course by 9 km and its altitude was too low.
Probable cause:
The accident was attributed to a navigation error which led the pilot to believe that he was nearer his destination than he actually was and, therefore, caused him to make a premature descent in instrument conditions for a straight-in approach to land at night. The aircraft consequently, crashed into high terrain. Contributing causes were:
- Failure on the part of the pilot to make use of the navigational facilities available in order to ascertain the correct position of the aircraft,
- Infringement of the prescribed minimum safe altitude,
- Unfamiliarity of the pilot with the terrain on the route.
- Failure on the part of the pilot to make use of the navigational facilities available in order to ascertain the correct position of the aircraft,
- Infringement of the prescribed minimum safe altitude,
- Unfamiliarity of the pilot with the terrain on the route.
Final Report:
