Date & Time:
Aug 12, 1972 at 2242 LT
Type of aircraft:
Fokker F27 Friendship
Operator:
Registration:
VT-DME
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Gwalior - New Delhi
MSN:
10175
YOM:
1961
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
4
Pax on board:
14
Pax fatalities:
14
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
18
Aircraft flight hours:
24087
Aircraft flight cycles:
20130
Circumstances:
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.
Probable cause:
During the second approach, the crew decided to descend below the glide. The captain realize he was too low and initiated a go-around manoeuvre but failed to position the flaps in a correct angle, causing the aircraft to stall and to crash. The distance with ground was insufficient to expect a stall recovery. The lack of visibility caused by night remains a contributing factor.
