Country
code

Tamil Nadu

Crash of a Dornier DO228-101 off Pichavaram: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 8, 2015 at 2123 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CG791
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Chennai - Chennai
MSN:
4114
YOM:
2014
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew departed Chennai NAS at 1730LT on a maritime patrol flight along the Tamil Nadu coast and over the Palk Bay. The last radio contact was established at 2100LT and the last radar contact was observed at 2123LT while the aircraft was cruising at an altitude of 9,000 feet some 176 km offshore. SAR operations were initiated and some debris were found the following morning. All three occupants, two pilots and one observer, were killed. On July 10, the wreckage was found at a depth of 995 metres some 30 km off Pichavaram.

Crash of a BAe ATP in Chennai

Date & Time: Jun 15, 2007 at 0850 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VT-FFB
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Bombay – Bangalore – Madras
MSN:
2039
YOM:
1991
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a cargo flight from Bombay to Madras with an intermediate stop in Bangalore. On final approach to Madras Airport, the aircraft nosed down and landed nose first. Upon impact, the nose gear collapsed and the aircraft slid on its nose for few dozen metres before coming to rest. A fire erupted but was quickly extinguished. Both pilots escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Boeing 747-2B3F in Chennai

Date & Time: Mar 6, 1999 at 0029 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
F-GPAN
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Paris – Karachi – Bangalore – Chennai
MSN:
21515
YOM:
1978
Flight number:
AF6745
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
72968
Aircraft flight cycles:
17608
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a cargo flight from Paris to Chennai with intermediate stops in Karachi and Bangalore, carrying five crew members and a load of various goods including three cars, 20 tons of cigarettes, chemicals and clothing for a total weight of 66 tons. The aircraft was cleared for a runway 07 ILS approach, but the approach was abandoned due to indications that the undercarriage was not down and locked. The flight crew concluded that all gear were down and locked despite a red GEAR light on the forward instrument panel. The crew had failed to recognize that the green GEAR DOWN light for the nose gear was not illuminated and assumed that the red GEAR light on the forward instrument panel was a false indication. The gear was recycled, but an alternate extension was not attempted. The pilot positioned the airplane for another approach. The aircraft touched down with the nose gear retracted. The nose struck the runway. The plane skidded and came to rest at 7000 feet down the runway (which is 13050 feet long). As the pilot informed the ATC of the mishap, he noticed smoke in the cockpit. Even as the smoke was being extinguished, flames erupted in the front portion of the aircraft. One of the crewmembers came down through a rope ladder from the cockpit, the other four were brought down through the rear of the aircraft using the fire engine step ladders. The fire services were not able to extinguish the fire and the plane burned out completely.

Crash of a Hindustan Aeronautics HAL-748-219-2 at Arakkoram-Rajali NAS: 8 killed

Date & Time: Jan 11, 1999 at 1545 LT
Operator:
Registration:
H2175
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Arakkoram – Tambaram
MSN:
569
YOM:
1978
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Arakkonam-Rajali NAS, en route to Tambaram AFB, the pilot contacted ATC and declared an emergency and reported major technical problems. He was cleared to return for an emergency landing. On final approach, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in a wooded area located 2,5 km short of runway. The aircraft was destroyed and all eight occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the crew lost control of the aircraft following the separation of the dome located on the top of the fuselage that was recovered about 500 metres from the main wreckage.

Crash of a Dornier DO228-201 in Chennai

Date & Time: Sep 13, 1991 at 0730 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VT-EPV
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Bangalore - Madras
MSN:
7099
YOM:
1988
Flight number:
UB201
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
14
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
4050
Circumstances:
The aircraft took-off from Bangalore at 0645 hrs IST. The flight from Bangalore to Madras was uneventful. The aircraft was cleared to land by Madras Control Tower at 0728 hrs IST. The aircraft touched down on the belly at a distance of 2,140 feet from the beginning of runway 07. The aircraft slided on its belly for approximately 1,500 feet before finally coming to rest on the runway slightly to the right side of the centre line. The port wing tip and the port engine propeller blades had touched the runway just before it came to stop. The rear passenger door was opened normally by the airhostess and the passengers were evacuated from the rear door. There was slight smoke near the bottom centre of the fuselage but there was no fire. There was no injury to any person on board. The aircraft was written off.
Probable cause:
The accident occurred due to aircraft landing without extension of landing gears on account of negligent flying by the commander disregarding the laid down operating procedures. Failure of the copilot to bring to notice of the commander the deviations from the procedures and to verify and cross check that gears were down was the contributory factor to the accident.
Final Report:

Crash of an Airbus A300B2-1C in Madras

Date & Time: Sep 29, 1986 at 0719 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VT-ELV
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Madras - Bombay
MSN:
22
YOM:
1976
Flight number:
IC571
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
185
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
20865
Circumstances:
During taxiing for takeoff, the commander gave controls to copilot for takeoff. During takeoff roll, the commander and the copilot sighted a large bird towards the right hand side and the commander told the copilot to continue with takeoff. The copilot reportedly saw another large bird on the runway centreline when the aircraft speed was around 150 knots. The copilot rotated the aircraft and when the aircraft attained 5 to 8° nose up attitude, a loud noise was heard from the right side followed by severe vibration. The commande took over the controls from the copilot at this stage and initiated action to abort the takeoff. Reverse thrust and wheel brakes were applied but the aircraft could not be stopped on the runway and rolled over to kutcha ground. There was no fire but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. All 196 occupants were evacuated, among them 14 were slightly injured.
Probable cause:
Wrong decision of the commander to reject the take-off after the aircraft had been rotated for a lift-off, following a loud sound and severe vibrations from right engine due to bird hit.

Crash of a Boeing 737-2A8 in Madras

Date & Time: Apr 26, 1979 at 1159 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VT-ECR
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Trivandrum - Madras
MSN:
20962/380
YOM:
1974
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
61
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
14769
Circumstances:
The flight for 35 minutes after takeoff from Trivandrum Airport was normal and uneventful. After receiving clearance from Madras, the aircraft commenced descent from a cruising altitude of 27,000 feet. Soon thereafter, a loud explosion was heard from the forward lavatory area. The cockpit and front portion of cabin were filled with smoke and cabin lights went off. There was completed instrument and electrical failure. The aircraft with undercarriage down made a flapless approach and touched down at a distance of 2,500 feet beyond threshold of runway 25 at Madras Airport. The aircraft overshot the runway, ploughing through kutcha grassy field and nullah. After the accident came to a halt, the passengers evacuated through forward and rear doors. The aircraft was destroyed due to inflight explosion and subsequent post crash overrun. The fire started on starboard side after the aircraft came to a halt and damaged the starboard wing. 14 occupants were injured.
Probable cause:
The accident was caused by the denotation of an explosive device in the forward lavatory of the aircraft. The aircraft overshot the runway due to high speed of touchdown, non-availability of reverse thrust and antiskid system, due to systems failure consequent on explosion.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12BP in Madras

Date & Time: Jan 7, 1974
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
BL740
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
2 4 014 06
YOM:
1962
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Report from the crew: was PIC of AN-12 , BL740 on that fateful day of 7 January 1974. My cojo was Baldy, Nav Ambre and Prasad Rao (AEB examiner) & among passengers were Wingco "Doc Lu" of AEB, one F/L Raghavan of Logs & some more passengers. We were taking off from Chennai-Meenambhakam Airport in the morning. After waiting for takeoff clearance which got delayed due some R/T problem, we finally started rolling. All parameters were normal. Ambre started calling speed. As he called out speed 160, I was changing over from nose steer to control column. At that very moment, the aircraft swung viciously to the right and left, the R/W at 45° angle. It took me 2 or 3 seconds to realize that its an engine failure. I immediately chopped all 4 throttles back and saw a really big ditch right ahead runway 07 before I could take any other action, the aircraft had come to a halt. With the impact, it broke in two. Main entrance door had flung open, there was no fire or casualty. I took my time to come out after ensuring all switches off. After we all had come out, we saw Ambre trying to come out from copilots side window and fell on the ground and broke his arm. Our Gunner W/O Nagarajan was the other crew member who was injured but safe. Co I was headed by Wingco "Chotu" Desores and Chotu S/L Rajgopalan. During the proceedings, they estimated that even after chopping throttles, the aircraft wouldn't have taken more than 5 seconds before crashing. Some passengers had gone to nearby Army M I room along with crew to get first aid treatment. Ultimately, I was blamed for "Not using sufficient brake and for carrying unauthorized passengers." This incident brought an end to my AN-12 flying. As I understood later that S/L (later Air Marshal) Victor Puri, then my Flt Cdr in 44 Sqn tried to simulate N°4 engine auto feather (which was the cause of accident) with an experienced crew and could not control the aircraft as it was going to leave the runway and had to open power to regain control. Due to anti clockwise rotation of propeller blades, the n°4 engine is the most critical engine in an Antonov AN-12.
Source: http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Database/Aircraft/BL-740

Crash of a Hindustan Aeronautics HAL-748-224-2 near Cumbum: 21 killed

Date & Time: Dec 9, 1971 at 1225 LT
Operator:
Registration:
VT-DXG
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Trivandrum - Madurai
MSN:
512
YOM:
1968
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
27
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
21
Circumstances:
While cruising in marginal weather conditions from Trivandrum to Madurai at an altitude of 5,200 feet, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain located in the Megamalai Mountain Range, some 90 km southwest of Madurai Airport. The wreckage was found southeast of Cumbum. All four crew members and 17 passengers were killed while 10 others were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the aircraft was off course to the north by 46 km at the time of the accident, probably due to a navigation error on part of the flying crew who misinterpreted some instruments settings.

Crash of a Douglas C-54A-DO Skymaster in Chennai

Date & Time: Sep 8, 1958
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VT-DIA
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
3094
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
27
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route to Madras, the primary hydraulic system failed. The crew failed to identify the failure properly and after touchdown at Madras Airport, the brake systems were partially inoperative. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the airplane overran, struck obstacles, lost its undercarriage and came to a halt. All 31 occupants were evacuated safely while the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Failure of the primary hydraulic system in flight due a wrong installed gasket.