CRASHED SECONDS AFTER LANDING! - The Tragedy of Air India Express 1344

Summary

This video recounts the tragic crash of an Air India Express flight, caused by pilot error during an unstabilized approach. Despite a go-around call, the captain did not follow proper procedures, resulting in the plane touching down late, failing to stop, and crashing off the runway into a cliff. The accident claimed 21 lives, including both pilots. Investigators pointed to systemic failures in airline training, inadequate simulators, and poor airport design. Recommendations for safety improvements, including runway lighting and safety features, were made to prevent future accidents.

Takeaways

• 😀 The Air India Express plane's accident was caused by the captain ignoring the go-around call during an unstable approach.
• 😀 The plane touched down one second after the go-around call was made and continued at 165 knots.
• 😀 The plane consumed 4438 feet of the available 8858 feet of runway before the captain applied maximum manual braking.
• 😀 Despite the automatic deployment of speed brakes, the captain did not respond to mandatory call-outs from the first officer.
• 😀 The captain deployed the thrust reversers too late, shutting them off before they had any impact on deceleration.
• 😀 The captain lifted his feet off the brake pedals, reducing braking effectiveness and possibly signaling indecision about going around.
• 😀 By the time thrust reversers were applied again, the plane had already exited the runway at a dangerously high speed of 85 knots.
• 😀 The plane crashed down a cliff, resulting in the death of 21 people, including both pilots.
• 😀 The primary cause of the accident was the captain's failure to follow established procedures and go around when the approach was unstable.
• 😀 Contributing factors included Air India Express's poor training practices, inadequate simulators, and flaws in the airport’s design and certification.
• 😀 The investigation revealed that Air India Express was using simulators from Air India, which were improperly maintained, leading to negative training for pilots.
• 😀 Recommendations to improve safety included upgrading runway lighting and increasing the safety area at the airport, which was partially implemented in 2023.

Q & A

What was the main reason for the crash of the Air India Express flight?

The primary cause of the crash was the failure of the captain to follow established procedures and not executing a go-around when the approach was unstabilized.

Why did the captain ignore the first officer's 'Go-Around' call?

The captain ignored the 'Go-Around' call due to a steep power gradient in the cockpit, which led him to make the decision not to override the situation and initiate a go-around.

What actions did the captain take after the plane touched down?

The captain applied maximum manual braking and the speed brakes were automatically deployed. However, he did not respond to mandatory callouts and delayed deploying the thrust reversers, which impacted braking efficiency.

How did the plane end up beyond the runway?

Despite deploying the thrust reversers and applying braking, the plane's speed was too high and it couldn't stop in time, eventually going beyond the end of the runway at a speed of 85 knots, which was much higher than the racer area was designed for.

What obstacles did the plane hit after exiting the runway?

The plane collided with ILS antennas and a fence before falling off the cliff of the tabletop runway, which resulted in the plane plummeting 110 feet.

What were the consequences of the crash?

The crash resulted in the death of 21 people, including both pilots, due to the plane's failure to stop and the subsequent impact with the cliff.

What systemic issues contributed to the crash?

The investigation identified systemic failures within Air India Express's training and rostering procedures. The airline lacked its own simulators, instead using improperly maintained simulators from Air India, which caused pilots to learn incorrect techniques.

What is 'negative training,' and how did it affect the pilots?

Negative training refers to pilots learning incorrect techniques during their simulator training. In this case, Air India Express pilots were subjected to improper training due to the flaws in the simulators, leading to unsafe flying practices.

What recommendations were made after the investigation?

The investigation recommended improvements in airport design, simulator training, and pilot procedures. Specifically, it suggested upgrading runway lighting, increasing the runway safety area, and ensuring better maintenance of simulators.

When was the runway lighting at Kico airport upgraded?

The runway lighting at Kico airport was upgraded in October 2023, three years after the incident.