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 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 an Antonov AN-12BP near Rohtang Pass: 102 killed

Date & Time: Feb 7, 1968 at 1500 LT
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-12
Operator:
Registration:
BL534
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Chandigarh - Leh
MSN:
02 4 003
YOM:
1961
Location:
Rohtang Pass
Himachal Pradesh
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
98
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
102
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft departed Chandigarh on a flight to Leh, carrying 98 passengers, soldiers and family members. While descending to Leh, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with snowstorm and the captain made a 180 turn to return to Chandigarh as a landing at Leh Airport was impossible. Few minutes later, while cruising in zero visibility at an altitude of 22,000 feet, the airplane struck the slope of a snow covered mountain located near the Rohtang Pass, Himachal Pradesh. As the airplane failed to return to Chandigarh, SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few weeks later as no trace of the aircraft no the 102 occupants was found. Some debris were found in August 2003 at an altitude of 5,400 meters in the Dhaka Glacier and three bodies in August 2007.
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