Mumbai-Chhatrapati Shivaji (Santa Cruz)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Singapore - Kuala Lumpur - Bombay

MSN:

17723

YOM:

1960

Flight number:

AI403

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

101

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

6627

Circumstances:

Following an uneventful flight from Singapore via Kuala Lumpur, the crew started the descent to Bombay-Santa Cruz Airport by night. The visibility was poor due to the combination of fog and night. On final, the captain reduced engine power at minimum, causing the aircraft to adopt an excessive rate of descent. Twelve seconds later, the aircraft landed hard on runway 27. Main wheel wells and tires were damaged upon impact and several alarms sounded in the cockpit. The captain increased engine power and decided to initiate a go-around. The airplane continued for few hundred meters but rolled on the right shoulder of the runway before takeoff. After liftoff, the stick shaker activated as the aircraft was in stall conditions. It lost height then crashed near the runway end, bursting into flames. Two crew members and 15 passengers were killed, 45 other occupants were injured and 49 others escaped uninjured.

Probable cause:

Wrong approach configuration on part of the crew who led the aircraft adopt an excessive rate of descent during the last segment.

Crash of a Vickers 768D Viscount in Vijayawada

Date & Time: Aug 28, 1980

Type of aircraft:

Vickers Viscount

Operator:

Registration:

VT-DJC

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Bombay - Vijayawada

MSN:

296

YOM:

1958

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The four engine airplane landed hard and bounced three times, before the nose gear collapsed. Out of control, the airplane veered off runway to the right and came to rest. All 29 occupants escaped without injuries while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Boeing 747-237B off Mumbai: 213 killed

Date & Time: Jan 1, 1978 at 2041 LT

Type of aircraft:

Boeing 747-200

Operator:

Registration:

VT-EBD

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Bombay - Dubaï

MSN:

19959

YOM:

1971

Flight number:

AI855

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

190

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

213

Circumstances:

After takeoff from Bombay-Santa Cruz Airport runway 27, while climbing by night at an altitude of 2,400 feet, the captain contacted ATC and wished a Happy New Year. He was cleared to climb to 8,000 feet and initiated a turn to the right according to departure procedures. Once the turn was finished and the aircraft was leveling, the captain realized his Attitude Director Indicator (ADI) was still showing a right-bank indication. The copilot confirmed his ADI was correct and the flight engineer noticed the difference between the captain's ADI and the third ADI system. Despite these two confirmation, the captain started a turn to the left as he thought the aircraft was still in a right-bank attitude. The airplane entered a left turn to an angle of 40° then until an excessive angle of 108° when control was lost. From an altitude of 2,000 feet, the airplane entered a dive and crashed into the Arabian Sea. The airplane disintegrated on impact and all 213 occupants were killed. Most of the debris were found in shallow water about 3 km offshore. Control was lost as the pilot-in-command was flying over the sea by night without any visual references with the ground.

Probable cause:

The probable cause of this accident was due to the irrational control wheel inputs given by the captain following complete unawareness of the attitude of the aircraft on his part after Attitude Director Indicator (ADI) had malfunctioned. The crew failed to gain control based on the other flight instruments. He had failed to determine the attitude of the aircraft with the associated flight instruments including Standby Horizon Indicator. The co-pilot had failed to monitor the flight instruments and did not render any assistance to the captain in ascertaining the attitude of the aircraft.

Crash of a Boeing 707-366C in Bangkok: 73 killed

Date & Time: Dec 25, 1976 at 0345 LT

Type of aircraft:

Boeing 707

Operator:

Registration:

SU-AXA

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

City

Schedule:

Rome - Cairo - Bombay - Bangkok - Manila - Tokyo

MSN:

20763/871

YOM:

1973

Flight number:

MS864

Location:

Bangkok-Don Mueang

Bangkok City District

Country:

Thailand

Region:

Sud-Aviation SE-210 Caravelle

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Following an uneventful flight from Bombay, the crew started the descent to Bangkok-Don Mueang Airport by night. On approach, the pilot reported runway in sight and was cleared to land on runway 21L. On short final, he failed to realize his altitude was too low when the four engine airplane struck the roof of a building and crashed in flames on a spinning factory located 2 km short of runway. The aircraft and several buildings were killed. All 53 occupants on board the B707 were killed as well as 20 people working in the factory. At the time of the accident, the visibility was estimated to be 4 km.

Probable cause:

The accident was the consequence of several errors on part of the flying crew who continued the approach below the minimum safe altitude until impact with ground.

Crash of a Sud-Aviation SE-210 Caravelle VI-N in Bombay: 95 killed

Date & Time: Oct 12, 1976 at 0135 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

VT-DWN

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Bombay - Madras

MSN:

231

YOM:

1970

Flight number:

IC171

Location:

Country:

Region:

Sud-Aviation SE-210 Caravelle

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from runway 27 at Bombay-Santa Cruz Airport, while climbing, the captain contacted ATC and declared an emergency after the right engine exploded and caught fire. The crew was cleared to return for an approach to runway 09 and initiated a circuit. On final approach, at a height of 300 feet, the airplane entered a nose down angle of 45° then crashed in a huge explosion about one km short of runway 09. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 95 occupants have been killed.

Probable cause:

Failure of the 10th stage of the compressor disc, probably after a blade failed due to fatigue cracks. Debris sectioned fuel and hydraulic lines, causing the fluid to leak in the engine and to ignite while in contact with high temperature elements. The fire quickly spread as the crew failed to shut off the fuel supply system.

Crash of a Sud-Aviation SE-210 Caravelle VI-N in Bombay

Date & Time: Jun 17, 1975 at 0833 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

VT-DVJ

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

New Delhi - Bombay

MSN:

216

YOM:

1966

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

At an excessive approach speed, the crew landed too far down on a wet runway due to rain. After touchdown, the crew applied full brake and deployed the drag chute but this caused all wheels to block and all tire to burst. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the airplane overran, lost its left main gear and part of its left wing before coming to rest. All 93 occupants were evacuated, among them 12 were injured. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair. The airport just reopened to traffic following the ground fire of an Air France Boeing 747 on June 12.

Probable cause:

Wrong approach configuration on part of the crew.

Ground fire of a Boeing 747-128 in Bombay

Date & Time: Jun 12, 1975 at 0215 LT

Type of aircraft:

Boeing 747-100

Operator:

Registration:

N28888

Flight Phase:

Taxiing

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Hong Kong - Bombay - Tel Aviv - Paris

MSN:

20542/201

YOM:

1972

Flight number:

AF193

Location:

Country:

Region:

Sud-Aviation SE-210 Caravelle

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

384

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was completing a 180 turn on runway 27 threshold to prepare for takeoff when the fire alarm sounded in the cockpit panel. The crew stopped the aircraft and ordered all 402 occupants to evacuate the aircraft. Fire spread quickly on the right side of the airplane that was destroyed. All 402 occupants escaped, 10 of them were slightly injured.

Probable cause:

It was determined that tires n°11 & 12 located on the right main gear burst while the aircraft was completing a 180 turn on the runway, causing the wheel to struck the ground. Initial delay in shutting down the engines and an improper deployment of fire services caused the fire to spread.

Crash of a Sud-Aviation SE-210 Caravelle VI-N in Mumbai

Date & Time: Jul 3, 1973 at 2030 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

VT-DPO

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

128

YOM:

1963

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On final approach to Bombay-Santa Cruz Airport, the airplane adopted a nose down attitude and landed nose first at an excessive speed. Upon impact, the nose gear collapsed and the airplane slid on its nose until it came to a halt on runway. A fire erupted in the nose gear bay. All 15 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

The copilot was the pilot-in-command at the time of the accident. It was determined that he adopted a wrong approach configuration, causing the aircraft to land nose first at a too high speed. A lack of supervision on part of the captain was also considered.

Crash of a Boeing 707-437 in Mumbai

Date & Time: Jan 23, 1971 at 1157 LT

Type of aircraft:

Boeing 707

Operator:

Registration:

VT-DJI

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Bombay - Bombay

MSN:

17722/94

YOM:

1960

Location:

Country:

Region: