New Delhi: After a London-bound Air India aircraft crashed shortly after taking off from the Ahmedabad airport on Thursday, the spotlight is back on India’s history with aviation disasters.
According to the directorate general of civil aviation, the plane was a Boeing 787 Dreamliner carrying 242 passengers with two pilots and 10 cabin crew. It took off around 1:47 pm and crashed minutes after.
From deadly mid-air collisions and fatal crashes due to poor weather conditions to runway overshoots at tabletop airports, the country has witnessed several tragedies over the decades.
Here’s a list of the most devastating air accidents in India’s aviation history:
- Air India Express Flight 1344 (2020): During the COVID-19 pandemic, Air India Express Flight 1344, operating as part of the Vande Bharat repatriation mission, skidded off the runway while landing at the Kozhikode (Calicut) International Airport on August 7, 2020. Amid heavy rainfall, the aircraft overshot the wet tabletop runway, plunged into a valley and split into two. Of the 190 people on board, 21, including two pilots, lost their lives.
- Air India Express Flight 812 (2010): Air India Express Flight 812 overshot the runway while landing at the Mangaluru International Airport in Karnataka on May 22, 2010. The Boeing 737-800, coming from Dubai, plunged into a gorge beyond the tabletop runway and burst into flames, killing 158 people. The tragic incident brought increased scrutiny to India’s tabletop airports and landing protocols during adverse conditions.
- Alliance Air Flight 7412 (2000): Alliance Air Flight 7412 crashed into a densely populated residential area in Bihar’s Patna while attempting to land on July 17, 2000. The Boeing 737-200 experienced a stall at low altitude due to the reported improper handling during the final approach. Sixty people were killed, including five on the ground. The accident prompted upgrades to approach procedures at smaller urban airports.
- Charkhi Dadri mid-air collision (1996): On November 12, 1996, 349 people were killed in what became India’s most devastating aviation disaster. The tragedy occurred when Saudia Flight 763, a Boeing 747, and Kazakhstan Airlines Flight 1907, an Ilyushin Il-76, collided mid-air near Charkhi Dadri in Haryana. The accident was the result of a communication failure and the Kazakh crew descending below their assigned altitude. Following the incident, India introduced significant aviation safety measures, including mandating the installation of Traffic Collision Avoidance Systems (TCAS) on all commercial aircraft.
- Indian Airlines Flight 605 (1990): On February 14, 1990, Indian Airlines Flight 605 crashed while approaching Bengaluru’s HAL Airport, killing 92 of the 146 people on board. The Airbus A320, a relatively new aircraft in India at the time, descended too low and hit the ground short of the runway, skidding onto a golf course. The investigation revealed that pilot error and unfamiliarity with the advanced digital cockpit of the A320 contributed to the tragic accident.
- Indian Airlines Flight 113 (1988): Amid poor visibility on October 19, 1988, Indian Airlines Flight 113, a Boeing 737-200, crashed on its approach to Ahmedabad Airport. The flight, arriving from Mumbai, struck trees and crashed short of the runway, killing 133 of the 135 people on board. Investigators pointed to pilot error, inadequate weather information, and procedural lapses by air traffic control.
- Air India Flight 855 (1978): On January 1, 1978, Dubai-bound Air India Flight 855, a Boeing 747, plunged into the Arabian Sea shortly after taking off from Mumbai, killing all 213 people on board. The disaster occurred only 101 seconds into the flight when a faulty Attitude Director Indicator led the captain to misinterpret the aircraft’s orientation. The crash took place in nighttime conditions over the sea, contributing to the crew’s spatial disorientation.
- Indian Airlines Flight 440 (1973): On May 31, 1973, Indian Airlines Flight 440 crashed during its approach to Delhi’s Palam Airport. The Boeing 737-200 encountered severe weather and struck high-tension wires just short of the runway. Of the 65 people on board, 48 died. Among the dead was prominent Indian politician Mohan Kumaramangalam. The crash underscored the need for improved weather radar at Indian airports.
(With inputs from PTI.)
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