The final probe report on the Air India Express crash that took place in Kozhikode in 2020 and killed 21 has said that the probable cause of the accident was non-adherence to the standard operating procedure by the pilots of the aircraft.
The report, released by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), also noted that the role of systemic failures as a contributory factor could not be overlooked.
“The probable cause of the accident was the non-adherence to SOP by the PF (Pilot Flying), wherein, he continued an unstabilised approach and landed beyond the touchdown zone, half way down the runway, in spite of ‘Go Around’ call by PM (Pilot Monitoring) which warranted a mandatory ‘Go Around’ and the failure of the PM to take over controls and execute a ‘Go Around’,” the report noted.
On August 7, 2020, the Air India Express Boeing-737 plane repatriating Indians stranded in Dubai due to the Covid-19 pandemic overshot the runway in heavy rain, skidded off the table-top runway and broke into two parts after crashing nose-first into the ground. The flight was carrying 190 passengers and crew. It was the deadliest commercial aviation disaster in the country in 10 years, claiming 21 lives. Another Air India Express flight from Dubai overshot Mangaluru’s table-top runway in 2010. It slid down a hill and left 158 people dead.
“A large number of similar accidents/incidents that have continued to take place, more so in AIXL (Air India Express Ltd), reinforce existing systemic failures within the aviation sector. These usually occur due to prevailing safety culture that give rise to errors, mistakes and violation of routine tasks performed by people operating within the system,” the report said.
{{/usCountry}}“A large number of similar accidents/incidents that have continued to take place, more so in AIXL (Air India Express Ltd), reinforce existing systemic failures within the aviation sector. These usually occur due to prevailing safety culture that give rise to errors, mistakes and violation of routine tasks performed by people operating within the system,” the report said.
{{/usCountry}}It noted the actions and decisions of the pilot in command) were steered by a “misplaced motivation to land back at Kozhikode to operate next day morning flight AXB 1373.”
The report also noted that the possibility of visual illusions causing errors in distance and depth perception could not be ruled out due to low visibility and sub-optimal performance of the windshield wiper in rain.
“The AIXL pilot training program lacked effectiveness and did not impart the requisite skills for performance enhancement,” it said.
AAIB in August last year appointed a team of five investigators to lead the probe.