India

National Capital Territory of Delhi

Schedule:

Calcutta – New Delhi

MSN:

130

YOM:

1964

Location:

New Delhi-Palam

Country:

India

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

18378

Captain / Total hours on type:

484.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

14887

Copilot / Total hours on type:

178

Aircraft flight hours:

5411

Circumstances:

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.

Probable cause:

The Government of India has accepted that the aircraft undershot and crashed as a result of the abandonment of the ILS approach at too early a stage during an attempt to land under conditions of poor visibility in fog.
Contributory causes were:
(i) Lack of information with the pilot regarding the true conditions of- surface visibility, which was in fact below thi minimum prescribed for a night landing by Caravelle aircraft on runway 28 at Palam.
(ii) Lack of proper monitoring and possibly incorrect setting of altimeter(s) during the approach to land.
(iii) The use of landing lights which resulted in glare during the final stages of the approach in foggy conditions.

Final Report:

Crash of a Fokker F27 Friendship 200 near Banihal: 37 killed

Date & Time: Feb 7, 1966 at 1155 LT

Type of aircraft:

Fokker F27 Friendship

Operator:

Registration:

PH-SAB

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Srinagar – Jammu – Amritsar – New Delhi

MSN:

10271

YOM:

1965

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

17312

Copilot / Total flying hours:

7729

Aircraft flight hours:

1930

Aircraft flight cycles:

1280

Circumstances:

A Fokker F-27, Series 200, aircraft, PH-SAB, owned by the Schreiner Airways of Holland, and operated by the Indian Airlines Corporation on a charter contract, met with an accident shortly before noon on 7 February 1966. The aircraft was on a scheduled flight from Srinagar to Delhi with intermediate stops at Jammu and Amritsar. It crashed on a hilltop in the Pir Panjal range at a spot 12 miles west of its proper course which lay over the Banihal Pass 33'30'' N, 75'14" E (altitude 9 290 ft). All members of the crew and all the 33 passengers on board were killed and the aircraft was totally destroyed.

Probable cause:

The cause of the accident was undoubtedly a navigational error. The Court was at first tempted to accept the hypothesis that the error was committed deliberately by Capt. Duggal because he wanted to take a short cut over the hill to Udampur, instead of going first to Banihal and then turning slightly right to the prescribed route to Udampur. Some support was lent to this hypothesis by the general assessment of Capt. Duggal's character as being hasty and casual and disinclined to pay heed to detail. But after giving greater consideration, it seems to the Court that this hypothesis cannot be accepted and that the navigational error was not intentional. The configuration of the hill at a spot 12 miles west of the Banihal Pass does not snow that the aircraft would have had a clear passage at an altitude of 12,000 feet because there are hills which are 14,000 feet high as shown by the contour lines on the map. Also Duggal did reply to the call 0610 hours GMT when he said that he would be crossing Banihal in two or three minted. It seems to the Court, therefore, that when flying through clouds at an altitude insufficient to ensure safety, Duggal found himself at a spot which resembled in its appearance the Banihal Pass. He must have steered an incorrect heading on leaving the airfield. Changes in cloud formation and decreasing visibility did not permit a full and clear view of the mountain range which lay across the route. So, when he was near the point where it crashed, he thought that he was going to cross Banihal and sent this message to the airport. In point of fact, he was 12 miles off his track and crashed at a point 12,364ft above sea level. A more careful and cautious pilot would, in the circumstances, have made sure of his direction and position by a reference to the Srinagar Airport where, in addition to the VOR, an Automatic Direction Finding facility is available.

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-75-DL near Mohanbari: 8 killed

Date & Time: Oct 17, 1965 at 1258 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

VT-AUQ

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Supply

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

19431

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

12800

Captain / Total hours on type:

12600.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

3200

Copilot / Total hours on type:

2800

Circumstances:

The crew was engaged in a supply drop mission. While cruising at low height some 37 km north of Dibrugarh-Mohanbari Airport, Assam, the airplane went out of control and crashed in flames. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all eight occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

The aircraft crashed as a result of complete loss of control experienced by the pilot, after a sleeping bag, ejected as part of an air drop consignment, got lodged and ballooned over the port tail plane.

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47 in India

Date & Time: Sep 25, 1965

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances somewhere in India while completing a supply mission. The crew fate remains unknown.

Crash of a Beechcraft D18S in Suthri: 7 killed

Date & Time: Sep 19, 1965 at 1600 LT

Type of aircraft:

Beechcraft D18

Operator:

Gujarat State Government

Registration:

VT-COO

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Government

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Ahmedabad – Mithapur

MSN:

A-383

YOM:

1947

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While approaching Mithapur from the north, the twin engine aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a Pakistan Air Force F-86 Sabre, dove into the ground and crashed in a huge explosion in a field located in Suthri. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all seven occupants were killed, among them Balwantrai Mehta, Chief Minister of the Gujarat State who was flying with his wife. At the time of the accident, the airplane was off course for undetermined reason but Indian Authorities reported the aircraft did not penetrate the Pakistan Airspace.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the pilot of a Pakistan Air Force fighter.

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

Date & Time: Apr 13, 1965

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

HJ218

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances, killing all nine occupants.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-3 Otter near Tezpur: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 5, 1965

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DHC-3 Otter

Operator:

Registration:

IM1727

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Landing (descent or approach)

MSN:

242

YOM:

1958

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances near Tezpur, killing all four occupants.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-3 Otter in Pasighat

Date & Time: Dec 29, 1964

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DHC-3 Otter

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Military

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The single engine airplane crashed in unknown circumstances into the Brahmaputra River while approaching Pasighat Airport. The crew fate remains unknown.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-10-DK in Along

Date & Time: Apr 7, 1964

Type of aircraft:

Landing (descent or approach)

Operator:

Registration:

VT-CMD

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Yes

Site: