Crash of a Boeing 737-4Q8 in Mumbai

Date & Time: Oct 9, 2005 at 1920 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VT-SID
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Calcutta - Mumbai
MSN:
24705
YOM:
1990
Flight number:
RSH117
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
111
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Calcutta, the aircraft landed at Mumbai-Chhatrapati Shivaji Airport runway 27. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the aircraft overran and came to rest few dozen metres further. All 117 occupants evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Boeing 737-2A8 in Patna: 60 killed

Date & Time: Jul 17, 2000 at 0734 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VT-EGD
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Calcutta – Patna – Lucknow – New Delhi
MSN:
22280
YOM:
1980
Flight number:
CD7412
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
52
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
60
Captain / Total flying hours:
4361
Captain / Total hours on type:
1778.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
4085
Copilot / Total hours on type:
3605
Aircraft flight hours:
44087
Aircraft flight cycles:
51278
Circumstances:
Alliance Air Flight No. CD-7412 departed Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata at 0651 hrs. on 17th July, 2000 bound for Patna-Lucknow-Delhi. After normal departure from Runway 01R, the aircraft climbed to FL260 on track to Patna via route W52. The aircraft was under the control of Kolkata Radar from 0652 hrs. to 0659 hrs. It changed over to Kolkata Area Control Centre. The aircraft reported position SAREK at FL 260 at 0712 hrs. and changed over to Patna Control with information that there was no reported traffic for descent. The aircraft contacted Patna ATC at 0713 hrs. and gave it’s ETA at Patna as 0736 hrs. Patna ATC cleared the aircraft to PPT VOR ILS/DME ARC Approach for R/W 25. The ATC Officer communicated that Patna METAR originated at 0650 hrs. stated “Wind calm, Visibility 4000 metres, Weather Haze, Clouds Broken 25000 feet, temp 29ºC, Dew Point 27º, QNH 996 hPa, No Sig”. The aircraft was cleared to descend to 7500’ and report 25 DME from PPT VOR. The aircraft reported 25 DME at 0726 hrs. The aircraft then descended to 4000’ on QNH 996 hPa and was asked to report 13 DME for ILS/DME ARC Approach R/W 25. The aircraft reported commencing the ARC at 0728 hrs. The aircraft reported crossing lead radial 080 at 0731 hrs. and coming on to the Localizer. The aircraft was then asked to descend to 1700’ on QNH 997 hPa with instructions to call established on Localizer. The aircraft informed Patna ATC at 0732 hrs. that it would like to do a 360º turn due to being high on approach. Patna ATC sought confirmation from the aircraft whether it had the airfield in sight and on receiving an affirmative reply, asked the aircraft to report on finals for R/W 25 after carrying out a 360º turn. This was acknowledged by the aircraft at 0732 hrs. This was the last communication from the aircraft. Immediately thereafter, the aircraft was spotted by the Air Traffic Controller in normal descent aligned with the R/W 25. It, however, appeared to be high on approach. The aircraft then turned steeply to the left losing height all of a sudden and disappeared from sight behind a row of trees. The Air Traffic Controller observed a huge column of smoke rising from the Gardani Bagh area outside the airfield perimeter and initiated crash action. All six crew members and 49 passengers were killed as well as five people on the ground. Three passengers escaped with serious injuries.
Probable cause:
The cause of the accident was loss of control of the aircraft due Human Error (air crew). The crew had not followed the correct approach procedure, which resulted in the aircraft being high on approach. They had kept the engines at idle thrust and allowed the air speed to reduce to a lower than normally permissible value on approach. They then maneuvered the aircraft with high pitch attitude and executed rapid roll reversals. This resulted in actuation of the stick shaker stall warning indicating an approaching stall. At this stage, the crew initiated a Go Around procedure instead of Approach to Stall Recovery procedure resulting in an actual stall of the aircraft, loss of control and subsequent impact with the ground.
Final Report:

Crash of a Piper PA-60 Aerostar (Ted Smith 600) in Tambon Tha Chalab: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 3, 1999 at 2230 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N602PK
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Calcutta – Bangkok
MSN:
60-8365-016
YOM:
1983
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
On May 3, 1999, at an unknown time before 2300 Bangkok, Thailand, local time, a Piper PA-60-602P, N602PK, crashed on an air rally flight between Calcutta, India, and Bangkok. The German national pilot was confirmed to have been fatally injured, and his German national passenger was reported missing at the accident scene. The crash site was at the Srinakarin Reservoir, Tambon Tha Chalab, Srisawat district in Kanchanaburi province, west of Bangkok. The airplane was reported to have been due to land at Bangkok's Don Muang airport at 2300 local time on May 3. Adverse weather was reported in the vicinity at the time of the accident. There was no report of an ELT actuation.

Crash of an Antonov AN-26 in Calcutta

Date & Time: Mar 30, 1992 at 1520 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-26154
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Hanoi - Yangon - Calcutta
MSN:
51 01
YOM:
1977
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
An Antonov 26 was ferried from Hanoi to Calcutta with a refueling stop at Rangoon. The aircraft took-off from Hanoi at 9:00 hours with estimated time of arrival Calcutta at 14:50 hours. On initial contact with Calcutta, the aircraft informed about minimum fuel on board and requested radar vectors for straight-in approach. However, Calcutta ATC did not pay much attention to the problems faced by the aircraft and made no serious attempt to assist the aircraft on radar. The pilot deviated from the track and became lost. The aircraft exhausted its fuel and force landed 28nm NE of Calcutta airport. All seven occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
The accident caused by forced landing due to flight crew failure by carrying marginal fuel to reach Calcutta and not making use of correct navigational facility (EA NDB at Calcutta) combined with lack of assistance from Calcutta ATC by not providing radar facilities vectoring/VDF guidance and advising the aircraft to use NDB not having adequate range.

Crash of a Boeing 737-2A8 near Imphal: 69 killed

Date & Time: Aug 16, 1991 at 1246 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VT-EFL
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Calcutta - Imphal
MSN:
21497
YOM:
1977
Flight number:
IC257
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
63
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
69
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Calcutta-Dum Dum Airport at 1154 on a regular schedule service to Imphal, Manipur. On descent, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and the visibility was low. After being cleared to descend to 10,000 feet, the crew obtain the permission to make a direct outbound course in view of an ILS approach to runway 04. While completing a turn to join the approach path, the crew failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the GPWS alarm sounded in the cockpit during 6,3 seconds. The aircraft struck the slope of Mt Thangjing located 39 km southwest of runway 04 threshold and disintegrated on impact. All 69 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident occurred by reason of a grave error on the part of the Pilot-in-Command in not adhering to the operational flight plan and ILS let down chart and not realizing that his early descent to 10,000 feet and turning right for outbound leg without reporting overhead VOR would result in loss of time reference and as such misplace him in the hilly terrain. The Pilot-in-Command's action may have been influenced by his extreme familiarity with the terrain.
Final Report:

Ground accident of a Fokker F27 Friendship 100 in Calcutta

Date & Time: Sep 23, 1988 at 1145 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VT-DMB
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Calcutta - Biratnagar
MSN:
10172
YOM:
1961
Flight number:
PF701
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
39
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
53680
Aircraft flight cycles:
51890
Circumstances:
While taxiing at Calcutta-Dum Dum in poor visibility, the aircraft collided with a catering truck. On impact, a part of the left wing was torn off and the aircraft came to rest. All 43 occupants were evacuated safely and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. All three people on board the catering truck were seriously injured.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the driver of the catering truck failed to observe the ground markings and was unaware he was rolling on a taxiway. The lack of visibility was a contributory factor as the crew of the F27 was unable to see and avoid the truck.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12B in Calcutta

Date & Time: Jul 29, 1971 at 1458 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-12993
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Raipur – Calcutta
MSN:
00 347 307
YOM:
1970
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was returning to Calcutta-Dum Dum on a ferry flight from Raipur. En route, he was informed that weather conditions worsened in Calcutta with a visibility limited to 2 km. While descending to an altitude of 1,830 meters, the wind component changed and the crew was vectored for an approach to runway 01R which was not equipped with an ILS system. On final approach, while at a distance of 4 km from the airfield, the airplane went through a low pressure area with heavy rain falls. At a distance of 900 meters from the runway threshold, at an altitude of 40/50 meters, the visibility dropped to zero due to torrential rains. ATC informed the crew about the minimums and the navigator advised the captain to initiate a go-around manoeuvre. But the captain continued the descent and passed below the glide until the aircraft struck the ground 198 meters short of runway threshold and 20 meters to the left of the centerline. It slid for several yards and came to rest in a swampy area. All seven crew members were rescued while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
The airplane entered an area of heavy rains falls, reducing the visibility to zero. In a very short time, the crew lost visual contact with the runway and all visual references with the ground as well, causing the aircraft to pass below the glide and to struck the ground. For unknown reason, the captain failed to initiate a go-around manoeuvre and ignored the different warnings from ATC and his crew. The fact that the crew was not aware about the non precision approach procedures for runway 01R remained a contributing factor.

Crash of a Boeing 707-321C in Calcutta: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jun 13, 1968 at 0058 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N798PA
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
San Francisco – Honolulu – Hong Kong – Bangkok – Calcutta – New Delhi – Beirut – Istanbul – Frankfurt – London – New York
MSN:
18790
YOM:
1964
Flight number:
PA001
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
53
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Captain / Total flying hours:
5392
Captain / Total hours on type:
2475.00
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft christened 'Clipper Caribbean' was performing the westward Pan Am flight 001 from San Francisco to New York with intermediate stops in Honolulu, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Calcutta, New Delhi, Beirut, Istanbul, Frankfurt and London. Following an uneventful flight from Bangkok-Don Mueang Airport, the crew started the approach to Calcutta-Dum Dum Airport by night and marginal weather conditions due to low clouds at 400 feet and rain showers. The crew deployed the flaps at 50° and continued the approach when he misunderstood the atmospheric pressure value transmitted by ATC. Instead of setting the QNH value of 993 mb, the crew set the QFE at 29,93, which caused the aircraft to descent 360 feet below the glide. It continued below the decision height until it struck tree tops located 1,128 meters short of runway threshold then impacted the ground and came to rest in flames one km short of runway. A crew member and five passengers were killed while 20 others were injured. 37 people were unhurt. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Improper IFR operation on part of the flying crew who misused the flaps. Misinterpretation of the approach QNH/QFE values on part of the crew which caused the aircraft to complete the approach below the minimum prescribed altitude.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-25-DK in Calcutta

Date & Time: Apr 2, 1964
Operator:
Registration:
VT-COU
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
13570
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On final approach to Calcutta-Dum Dum Airport, the right engine stopped. The copilot-in-command lost control of the airplane that stalled and crashed short of runway threshold. Both occupants were uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
The accident is attributed to the pilot's action in simulating failure of the starboard engine during the final approach by feathering the propeller without the prior knowledge of the copilot who was handling the aircraft. The copilot was unable to control the aircraft which stalled and crashed. The captain was not authorized to check the capability of the copilot.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-80-DL in Calcutta

Date & Time: Aug 26, 1961 at 1200 LT
Operator:
Registration:
VT-AXA
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
19874
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Just after liftoff, the airplane stalled and crashed in flames. All three crew members were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
It was reported the rotation was completed prematurely and the aircraft's speed was too low, causing it to stall.