New Delhi-Palam

On 27 Aug 19, M/s Air Charter Services Pvt Ltd Cessna Citation 560 XL aircraft (VTAVV), while operating a flight from Delhi to Aligarh (Dhanipur Airstrip) was involved in an accident during landing on runway 11.The operator is having a maintenance facility at Aligarh Airport and aircraft was scheduled to undergo ADS-B modification. There were 02 cockpit crew and 04 SOD onboard the aircraft. The aircraft was under the command of a PIC, who was an ATPL holder duly qualified on type with a CPL holder co-pilot, duly qualified on type as Pilot Monitoring. This was the first flight of the day for both pilots. Both, PIC and Co-Pilot had prior experience of operating to Aligarh airport, which is an uncontrolled airport. As per the flight plan, ETD from Delhi was 0800 IST and ETA at Aligarh was 0820 IST. The crew had reported around 0630 IST at Delhi airport and underwent BA test. The MET report to operate the aircraft to Aligarh was well within the VFR conditions. The aircraft Take-off weight was within limits including 1900 Kgs of fuel on board. As per the statement of PIC, the Co-pilot was briefed about pre departure checklists including METAR before approaching the aircraft. Once at the aircraft, prefight checks were carried out by PIC before seeking clearance from Delhi delivery (121.95 MHz). Aircraft was accorded start up clearance by Delhi ground (121.75 Mhz) at 0800 IST.ATC cleared the aircraft to line up on runway 11 and was finally cleared for takeoff at 0821 IST. After takeoff, aircraft changed over to Delhi radar control from tower frequency for further departure instructions. Aircraft was initially cleared by Radar control to climb to FL090 and was given straight routing to Aligarh with final clearance to climb to FL130. Thereafter, aircraft changed to Delhi area control for further instructions. While at approximately 45 Nm from Aligarh, VT-AVV made contact with Aligarh (personnel of M/s Pioneer Flying Club manning radio) on 122.625 MHz. Ground R/T operator informed “wind 100/2-3 Kts, QNH 1005, Runway 11 in use” and that flying of Pioneer Flying Club is in progress. Further, he instructed crew to contact when at 10 Nm inbound. After obtaining initial information from ground R/T operator, VT-AVV requested Delhi area control for descent. The aircraft was cleared for initial descent to FL110 and then further to FL080. On reaching FL080, aircraft was instructed by Delhi area control to change over to Aligarh for further descent instruction in coordination with destination. At approx 10 Nm, VT-AVV contacted ground R/T operator on 122.625 MHz and requested for long finals for runway 11. In turn, ground R/T operator asked crew to report when at 5 Nm inbound. As per PIC, after reaching 5 Nm inbounds, Aligarh cleared VTAVV to descend to circuit altitude and land on runway 11. Aircraft had commenced approach at 5 Nm at an altitude of 2200 ft. Approach and landing checks briefing including wind, runway in use were carried out by PIC. During visual approach, Co-pilot called out to PIC “Slightly low on profile”. As per PIC, Co-pilot call out was duly acknowledged and ROD was corrected. Thereafter, PIC was visual with runway and took over controls on manual. Co-pilot was monitoring instruments and parameters. While PIC was focused on landing, a loud bang from left side of the aircraft was heard by PIC when the aircraft was below 100 feet AGL. Aircraft started pulling towards left and impacted the ground short of runway 11 threshold. After impact, aircraft veered off the runway and its left wing caught fire. The aircraft stopped short of airfield boundary wall. Crew carried out emergency evacuation. Co-pilot opened main exit door from inside of the aircraft for evacuation of passengers. Aircraft was destroyed due to post crash fire. The fire tender reached the crash site after 45 Minutes.

The airplane was engaged in a calibration flight at New Delhi-Palam Airport on behalf of the Indian Civil Aviation Authority. While cruising at a relative low altitude, the airplane suffered an engine failure. It banked left, lost height and crashed in flames about 40 km north of Palam Airport. All eight occupants were killed.

The airplane departed New Delhi-Palam Airport at 1703LT on an official flight to Jorhat-Rowriah Airport, carrying several members of the Indian Government, among them Morarji Desai, Prime Minister, P. K. Thungon, Minister of Arunachal Pradesh and John Lobo, Director of Indian Intelligence Services. On approach, the captain decided to initiate a go-around because the airplane was not properly aligned. Few minutes later, during a second attempt to land, the pilot failed to realize his altitude was too low when the airplane struck tree tops, stalled and crashed in a paddy field located few hundred meters short of runway threshold. The aircraft broke in two, the cockpit was destroyed and five crew members were killed. 15 other occupants were injured.
Those killed were:
Wg Cdr Clarence Joseph D’Lima, captain,
S/Ldr Mathew Cyriac, copilot,
Wg Cdr Joginder Singh, navigator,
S/Ldr V. V. S. Sunkar, flight engineer,
F/Lt O. P. Arora, flight signaller.

The approach to New Delhi-Palam Airport was initiated by night and marginal weather conditions with a limited visibility due to haze/fog. The copilot was the pilot-in-command and about 8 km on final, the airplane was too high on the glide with an approach speed in excess of 65 knots. Flaps were configured in a down position and the airplane started to lose height and speed. The captain failed to intervene and to realize that the airplane was too low when it struck approach lights and various equipments about 460 meters short of runway threshold. Out of control, the airplane crashed on the ground, lost its four engines and slid for few hundred meters before coming to rest in flames. Fire brigade and rescuers arrived on the scene 18 minutes later and the aircraft was largely consumed by fire. All 109 occupants were evacuated, among them 40 were injured.

On final approach to New Delhi-Palam Airport by night, the crew encountered poor weather conditions. In below-minimum visibility, despite he was unable to locate the runway, the captain decided to continue the approach and passed below the glide. With the flaps down to 40°, the airplane struck power cables and crashed in flames near the district of Vasant Vihar, about 3 km east of the airport. Five crew members and 43 passengers were killed while 17 other occupants were injured.

On a night approach to New Delhi-Palam Airport, the captain decided to abandon the landing procedure and initiated a go-around. Few minutes later, while on a second attempt to land, the crew failed to realize his altitude was too low when the airplane struck the ground and crashed 1,600 meters short of runway threshold. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 18 occupants have been killed.

During a night approach to runway 28 at New Delhi-Palam Airport, the crew failed to realize his altitude was too low when the airplane struck several houses and crashed in flames on the west shore of the Yamuna River, some 22 km east of the airport. Ten crew members and 72 passengers as well as four people on the ground were killed. Five other occupants were injured. The aircraft was totally destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire. At the time of the accident, the copilot was the pilot-in-command.

On approach to Palam Airport in New Delhi, the crew encountered very bad weather conditions with storm activity, turbulences, rain and windshear. On final, the pilot-in-command lost control of the airplane that was caught by downdrafts and crashed 3 km short of runway 28. A passenger was killed while 22 other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

Indian Airlines Corporation, Caravelle, VT-DPP, while on scheduled domestic passenger service from Calcutta Airport to Palam Airport on 15 February 1966, undershot the runway while attempting to land under conditions of poor visibility due to fog at Palam, with the result that it struck a cement pillar and subsequently several other obstructions until it came to rest on its belly near the threshold of the runway in use. Fortunately, all crew and passengers were able to get out before the aircraft was consumed by the fire which had broken out as a result of the earlier impact with obstructions. Some of the passengers received injuries and burns of varying degrees. Unfortunately, two passengers succumbed to their injuries subsequently. The aircraft was completely destroyed.

Crash landed at Palam Airport. At least two crew members were killed.