Calcutta – New Delhi

On July 25, 1953 at 12:00 AM, Calcutta – New Delhi experienced a crash involving De Havilland DH.106 Comet, operated by British Overseas Airways Corporation - BOAC, with the event recorded near Calcutta West Bengal.

The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was taxiing at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

42 people were known to be on board, 0 fatalities were recorded, 42 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 0.0%.

Crew on board: 6, crew fatalities: 0, passengers on board: 36, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. Because taxi lights were too dim to use at night, the crew had to use the landing lights while taxiing. Both lights had to be alternated left and right to avoid a meltdown by using a switch behind the captains seat. In a left hand turn the captain took his left hand off the steering wheel to select another landing light. The steering centered, and then the aircraft right wheel bogies ran off the paved surface. Engine power was applied on the two right engines, causing the bogie struts to be forced up and into the wing structure causing much damage. Source: https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19530725-0

Aircraft reference details include registration G-ALYR, MSN 6004, year of manufacture 28.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 22.5753°, 88.3600°.