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
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
5
Pax on board:
40
Pax fatalities:
40
Other fatalities:
0
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.
- 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.
