Maharashtra

Site:

Mumbai-Chhatrapati Shivaji (Santa Cruz)

Schedule:

Bombay - Bombay

MSN:

17722/94

YOM:

1960

Location:

Maharashtra

Country:

India

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The five crew members were engaged in a local training mission at Bombay-Santa Cruz Airport. During the takeoff roll on three engine, the pilot-in-command lost control of the airplane that deviated to the right and departed the asphalt. The right wing struck a mound of 9 feet high located 188 feet to the right of the runway, causing both right engines n°3 and 4 to be torn off. The aircraft caught fire and came to rest in flames. All five crew members were slightly injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

During a three-engine practice takeoff the check pilot applied full takeoff thrust on n°2 and 3 engines. The aircraft accelerated on two engines and when the speed of 85 kt was attained, the pilot experienced little difficulty in keeping directional control of the aircraft. Thereafter, the pilot applied thrust on engine n°1. The aircraft then went off the runway to the right, n°3 and 4 engines struck a mound 9 feet high located 188 feet from the edge of the runway and were torn off. The wing structure broke off progressively inward and an intense fire broke out. The check pilot admitted that he did not follow the normal procedure specified by Boeing for a 3 engine takeoff and that due to an incorrect reading of the airspeed, he tried to get airborne before reaching VR . Since the nose had been lifted prematurely, nose wheel steering could not be used and control of the aircraft using rudder alone could not be maintained when power on n°1 engine was applied. It was concluded that the accident was caused by the combination of the following factors:
- A loss of control during an attempted three engine takeoff,
- The loss of control was the consequence of the pilot not following the published procedures as mentioned in the aircraft flight manual.

Crash of a Convair CV-990-30A-5 near Bombay: 30 killed

Date & Time: May 28, 1968 at 0244 LT

Type of aircraft:

Convair CV-990

Operator:

Registration:

PK-GJA

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Sud-Aviation SE-210 Caravelle

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Jakarta – Bombay – Karachi – Cairo – Rome – Amsterdam

MSN:

30-10-3

YOM:

1964

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Less than five minutes after a night takeoff from Bombay-Santa Cruz Airport, while climbing, the aircraft entered a nose-down attitude then plunged into the earth and crashed in a huge explosion some 32 km north of the airport. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 29 occupants were killed as well as one person on the ground. Few houses were damaged and few other people were injured.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the loss of control was the consequence of the partial or complete failure of all four engines during the initial climb. Investigations reported that during the stop at Bombay Airport, the wrong type of fuel was transferred into the tanks of the Coronado. Instead of kerosene, ground staff fueled the aircraft with regular benzin.

Crash of a Sud-Aviation SE-210 Caravelle VI-N in Bombay: 4 killed

Date & Time: Sep 4, 1966

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

VT-DSB

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Schedule:

Bombay - Bombay

MSN:

134

YOM:

1964

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was completing a local training flight at Bombay-Santa Cruz Airport. On final approach, while at an altitude of 800 feet, the crew voluntarily shut down an engine to simulate a failure when the airplane struck a hill and crashed. All four crew members were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-1-DK in Nagpur

Date & Time: Apr 25, 1966

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

VT-DDR

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Positioning

Survivors:

Site:

De Havilland DH.106 Comet

MSN:

12070

YOM:

1943

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was completing a positioning flight to Nagpur when he encountered poor weather conditions upon arrival. After touchdown, the aircraft went out of control, veered off runway, struck obstacles and came to rest. All three crew members were uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

The accident is attributable to a sudden and strong cross wind gust in heavy rain experienced during the landing.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.106 Comet 4C off Mumbai: 63 killed

Date & Time: Jul 28, 1963 at 0150 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

SU-ALD

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Tokyo – Hong Kong – Bangkok – Bombay – Bahreïn – Cairo

MSN:

6441

YOM:

1960

Flight number:

MS869

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

14841

Captain / Total hours on type:

1473.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

5463

Copilot / Total hours on type:

475

Circumstances:

Flight 869 was a scheduled international flight from Tokyo, Japan to Cairo, United Arab Republic via Hong Kong, Bangkok, Bombay and Bahrain. A crew change was effected at Bangkok. Based on the tape recordings of messages exchanged between the aircraft and Santa Cruz approach and radar control, the flight was reconstructed. It was uneventful until 2016 hours GMT when it reported arriving over the Santa Cruz VOR at 7 000 ft. It was cleared to descend to 4 000 ft over the VOR and was requested to report what type of approach would be carried out for landing on runway 09. The aircraft reported it would follow the ILS back beam procedure. It was advised by Santa Cruz approach that the back beam of the ILS was not flyable but that it could home on the 270° radial of the VOR. The aircraft agreed to do a VOR letdown for runway 09, and shortly thereafter reported it was leaving 7 000 ft outbound over the sea on the 272° radial of the VOR. At 2018 Santa Cruz radar, which was monitoring the flight, warned it that if it flew more than 6 or 7 miles west of the field it would run into very heavy turbulence. Shortly thereafter the flight requested permission to make a left-hand procedure turn instead of the normal right-hand turn. This was granted. At 2019 the flight commenced the procedure turn inbound. Santa Cruz radar advised the flight that it was then 6 miles west-northwest of the field. Flight 869 acknowledged this message and was not heard from again. During the turn in severe turbulence and heavy rain the pilot lost control of the aircraft. It was found later on that the air- craft had crashed into the sea 9 NM west of Madh Island at approximately 2020 hours.

Probable cause:

The committee was faced with difficulties during the course of the investigation due to the fact that neither the exact location of the wreckage could be fixed no the wreckage salvaged. Moreover, the accident occurred suddenly with no airborne emergency reported and late at night over the sea in limited visibility. There were no eyewitnesses. However, in the presence of the facts available, it can be concluded that the accident was probably due to loss of control while turning in severe turbulence and heavy rain.

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-8-43 near Junnar: 94 killed

Date & Time: Jul 7, 1962 at 0010 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-8

Operator:

Registration:

I-DIWD

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Sydney – Darwin – Singapore – Bangkok – Bombay – Karachi – Tehran – Rome

MSN:

45631

YOM:

1962

Flight number:

AZ771

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

13700

Captain / Total hours on type:

1396.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

3480

Copilot / Total hours on type:

1672

Aircraft flight hours:

964

Circumstances:

The crew was preparing to land at Bombay-Santa Cruz Airport runway 27 and was cleared to descend to 4,000 feet. After several errors, the pilot-in-command started the descent prematurely and while at an altitude of 3,600 feet, the airplane struck the slope of Mt Davandyachi (1,080 m high) located about eight km north of Junnar. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 94 occupants were killed. At the time of the accident, the airplane was off course by 9 km and its altitude was too low.

Probable cause:

The accident was attributed to a navigation error which led the pilot to believe that he was nearer his destination than he actually was and, therefore, caused him to make a premature descent in instrument conditions for a straight-in approach to land at night. The aircraft consequently, crashed into high terrain. Contributing causes were:
- Failure on the part of the pilot to make use of the navigational facilities available in order to ascertain the correct position of the aircraft,
- Infringement of the prescribed minimum safe altitude,
- Unfamiliarity of the pilot with the terrain on the route.

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47 near Pune: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 7, 1961

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Hyderabad – Bombay

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While cruising by night on a flight from Hyderabad to Bombay, the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in the region of Pune, killing all four crew members.

Crash of a Douglas C-54A-15-DC Skymaster in Nagpur

Date & Time: Mar 22, 1961

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-54 Skymaster

Operator:

Seven Seas Airlines

Registration:

N5519V

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation

Schedule:

Bombay – Bangkok

MSN:

10347

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route from Bombay to Bangkok, the crew encountered technical problems with the engines and decided to divert to Nagpur for an emergency landing. On approach, the pilot-in-command was unable to maintain a safe altitude and as the aircraft was losing height, he attempted an emergency landing in a plantation located 12 km from the airport. The four engine aircraft crash landed and came to rest. All three crew members were unhurt while the aircraft was written off.

Probable cause:

Engine problems in flight.

Crash of a Lockheed L-1049G Super Constellation in Bombay

Date & Time: Jul 19, 1959

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

VT-DIN

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site: