The 2 other ‘dangerous airfields’ in India: Capt Ranganathan | Kerala crash

A day after the deadly plane crash in Kerala's Kozhikode, Captain Mohan Ranganathan, an aviation safety consultant, warns that other airports in India may see similar mishaps. Speaking to Hindustan Times senior editor Aditi Prasad, he said that Patna and Jammu are also 'dangerous airfields' and continue to operate despite flagging of safety issues.

He also explained how 'tabletop' airfields, i.e. those which are constructed by flattening a hill, can be unsafe, mainly due to lack of extra space for airplanes in case of an emergency. Capt Ranganathan also explained why the Air India Express plane in Kozhikode didn't catch fire but broke in half, thereby preventing a higher casualty count. If the plane's wings had gotten damaged and fuel had spilt, then the chances of a fire breaking out would've been higher, he said.

On August 7, at least 18 people died, including the two pilots, of a passenger plane which tried to land in Kozhikode amid inclement weather. It overshot the runway and fell into a valley. It was a part of the government's Vande Bharat mission, ferrying home Indians who were stranded in Dubai amid the Covid-19 pandemic. The tragedy occurred 10 years after a similar mishap in Mangalore. Watch the full video for more.