Region
Asia

Crash of a Douglas C-47 in Guwahati: 9 killed

Date & Time: Aug 23, 1980
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
HJ235
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Location:
Guwahati
Assam
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
Crashed shortly after takeoff from Guwahati Airport, killing all nine occupants.

Crash of a Beechcraft D18S in Nadbai: 5 killed

Date & Time: Mar 31, 1980 at 1655 LT
Type of aircraft:
Beechcraft D18
Operator:
Falcon Air (India)
Registration:
VT-CZX
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Udaipur - Jaipur
MSN:
A-460
YOM:
1948
Location:
Nadbai
Rajasthan
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
En route from Udaipur to Jaipur, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and became lost due to limited visibility. The captain attempted an emergency landing when the airplane crashed on a railway road located in Nadbai. All five occupants were killed.

Crash of a Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar in Agra: 46 killed

Date & Time: Feb 22, 1980
Type of aircraft:
Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Skydiving / Paratroopers
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Agra - Agra
Location:
Agra-Kheria (Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyay)
Uttar Pradesh
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
43
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
46
Circumstances:
The aircraft was engaged in a local training mission carrying four crew members and 43 paratroopers. During the takeoff roll, the captain decided to precipitate the rotation due to the presence of a cyclist on the runway. The aircraft took off but due to an insufficient speed, stalled and crashed. A paratrooper was seriously injured while 46 other occupants were killed.

Crash of a Hindustan Aeronautics HAL-748-224-2A near Mumbai: 45 killed

Date & Time: Aug 4, 1979 at 2016 LT
Type of aircraft:
Hindustan Aeronautics HAL-748
Operator:
Registration:
VT-DXJ
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Pune - Bombay
MSN:
515
YOM:
1968
Location:
Mumbai
Maharashtra
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
40
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
45
Circumstances:
While approaching Bombay Airport from the southeast by night, the crew encountered technical problems when the airplane struck the slope of Mt Kisoli located 30 km southeast from Bombay Airport. SAR operations were hampered by lack of visibility and heavy rain falls. The wreckage was found few hours later and all 45 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of the combination of the following factors:
- Momentary/intermittent loss of electrical contact in G/S system of aircraft which gave the pilot an erroneous impression of the interception of the glide slope,
- Failure of the pilot to discharge his obligations under DOC 4444 by failing to use the glidepath facility only after the Outer Marker and also in descending below 2910 feet without first cross-checking over the Outer Marker,
- Failure of the radar controller to discharge his obligations under DOC 4444 of giving position information to the aircraft from time to time, use of incorrect and/or non-standard phraseology and also failure to inform the aircraft about the loss of radar contact.

Crash of a Hindustan Aeronautics HAL-748-LFD-2m near Leh: 28 killed

Date & Time: Jun 7, 1979 at 1100 LT
Type of aircraft:
Hindustan Aeronautics HAL-748
Operator:
Registration:
H2178
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
MSN:
572
YOM:
1978
Location:
Leh-Kushok Bakula Rinpoche
Jammu and Kashmir
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
21
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
28
Circumstances:
Ten minutes after takeoff from Leh Airport, while climbing in clouds at an altitude of 16,000 feet, the twin engine airplane struck the slope of a mountain located near the Karmwal Pass. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and all 28 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Boeing 737-2A8 in Madras

Date & Time: Apr 26, 1979 at 1159 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 737-200
Operator:
Registration:
VT-ECR
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Trivandrum - Madras
MSN:
20962/380
YOM:
1974
Location:
Chennai
Tamil Nadu
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
61
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
14769
Circumstances:
The flight for 35 minutes after takeoff from Trivandrum Airport was normal and uneventful. After receiving clearance from Madras, the aircraft commenced descent from a cruising altitude of 27,000 feet. Soon thereafter, a loud explosion was heard from the forward lavatory area. The cockpit and front portion of cabin were filled with smoke and cabin lights went off. There was completed instrument and electrical failure. The aircraft with undercarriage down made a flapless approach and touched down at a distance of 2,500 feet beyond threshold of runway 25 at Madras Airport. The aircraft overshot the runway, ploughing through kutcha grassy field and nullah. After the accident came to a halt, the passengers evacuated through forward and rear doors. The aircraft was destroyed due to inflight explosion and subsequent post crash overrun. The fire started on starboard side after the aircraft came to a halt and damaged the starboard wing. 14 occupants were injured.
Probable cause:
The accident was caused by the denotation of an explosive device in the forward lavatory of the aircraft. The aircraft overshot the runway due to high speed of touchdown, non-availability of reverse thrust and antiskid system, due to systems failure consequent on explosion.

Crash of a Boeing 737-2A8 in Hyderabad: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 17, 1978 at 1042 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 737-200
Operator:
Registration:
VT-EAL
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Hyderabad - New Delhi
MSN:
20485/277
YOM:
1971
Location:
Hyderabad-Begumpet
Telangana
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
126
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
After liftoff from runway 09 at Hyderabad-Begumpet Airport, during initial climb, the captain noticed severe vibrations as the leading edges were not properly deployed. After the undercarriage were raised, the captain decided to land back. The airplane belly landed, slid for about 940 meters, overran, struck a perimeter fence and came to rest in flames in a grassy area. The aircraft was totally destroyed by a post crash fire. 31 passengers were injured while 100 other occupants escaped unhurt. A passenger as well as three people cutting grass near the boundary fence were killed.
Probable cause:
Severe vibrations and decision to attempt an emergency landing following incorrect deployment of the leading edges for undetermined reasons.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12B in Leh: 78 killed

Date & Time: Nov 19, 1978 at 1100 LT
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-12
Operator:
Registration:
L650
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Chandigarh - Leh
MSN:
6 3 442 10
YOM:
1966
Location:
Leh-Kushok Bakula Rinpoche
Jammu and Kashmir
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
70
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
78
Circumstances:
On final approach to Leh, the pilot reported technical problems when the airplane lost height, struck a house and crashed in a huge explosion less than 2 km short of runway threshold. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 77 occupants were killed as well as one people on the house.
Probable cause:
It is believed that an asymmetric flaps occurred on final approach, causing the aircraft to get inverted and crash. When flaps were selected down, only the flaps on left wing moved down while the flaps on right wing remained blocked in an inappropriate angle.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-45-DL in Badkhalsa: 8 killed

Date & Time: May 19, 1978 at 1212 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Indian Government
Registration:
VT-DEU
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Calibration
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
New Delhi - New Delhi
MSN:
9952
YOM:
1943
Location:
Badkhalsa
Haryana
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
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.
Probable cause:
In-flight failure of the left engine due to the dysfunction of the fuel pump at a critical stage of flight.

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:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Bombay - Dubaï
MSN:
19959
YOM:
1971
Flight number:
AI855
Location:
Mumbai-Chhatrapati Shivaji (Santa Cruz)
Maharashtra
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
23
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.
Subscribe to India