Bangalore – Bombay

Flight 106 departed from HAL Airport, Bangalore for Bombay at 1555LT on a scheduled domestic flight with 6 crew and 30 passengers on board. After a normal takeoff and climb, the aircraft was cruising at flight level 85 with the engines operating at 29" manifold pressure and 2050 rpm. BMEP gauges were not fitted. At 16:30 hours the flight reported its position 100 miles out from Bangalore and estimated Bombay FIR boundary at 17:00. The flight was uneventful up to about 16:50 when the pilot heard a loud "thud" which he believed to be an engine misfiring. This was followed by the aircraft losing height rapidly. The auto pilot was disengaged and the aircraft was trimmed for manual flight. In order to maintain height the pilot applied climb power, and then METO power by moving the pitch and throttle controls forward, and although the manifold pressure increased first to 35" and then to 40", the engine speed remained constant at 2050 rpm and the aircraft continued to lose height at a descent rate of 1500 feet per minute. Cylinder head temperatures were not apparently noted. The pilot eventually made a wheels-up landing in a ploughed field at an elevation of 1900 feet. All 36 occupants were evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Flight / Schedule

Bangalore – Bombay

Registration

VT-DIC

MSN

10376

Year of Manufacture

1944

Operator

Indian Airlines

Date

May 7, 1962 at 04:55 PM

Type

CRASH

Flight Type

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Flight Phase

Flight

Crash Site

Plain, Valley

Crash Location

Haveri Karnataka

Region

Asia • India

Coordinates

14.7180°, 75.3656°

Crash Cause

Human factor

Narrative Report

On May 7, 1962 at 04:55 PM, Bangalore – Bombay experienced a crash involving Douglas C-54 Skymaster, operated by Indian Airlines, with the event recorded near Haveri Karnataka.

The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was flight at a plain, valley crash site.

36 people were known to be on board, 0 fatalities were recorded, 36 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: 30, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. Flight 106 departed from HAL Airport, Bangalore for Bombay at 1555LT on a scheduled domestic flight with 6 crew and 30 passengers on board. After a normal takeoff and climb, the aircraft was cruising at flight level 85 with the engines operating at 29" manifold pressure and 2050 rpm. BMEP gauges were not fitted. At 16:30 hours the flight reported its position 100 miles out from Bangalore and estimated Bombay FIR boundary at 17:00. The flight was uneventful up to about 16:50 when the pilot heard a loud "thud" which he believed to be an engine misfiring. This was followed by the aircraft losing height rapidly. The auto pilot was disengaged and the aircraft was trimmed for manual flight. In order to maintain height the pilot applied climb power, and then METO power by moving the pitch and throttle controls forward, and although the manifold pressure increased first to 35" and then to 40", the engine speed remained constant at 2050 rpm and the aircraft continued to lose height at a descent rate of 1500 feet per minute. Cylinder head temperatures were not apparently noted. The pilot eventually made a wheels-up landing in a ploughed field at an elevation of 1900 feet. All 36 occupants were evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Aircraft reference details include registration VT-DIC, MSN 10376, year of manufacture 1944.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 14.7180°, 75.3656°.

Fatalities

Total

0

Crew

0

Passengers

0

Other

0

Crash Summary

Flight 106 departed from HAL Airport, Bangalore for Bombay at 1555LT on a scheduled domestic flight with 6 crew and 30 passengers on board. After a normal takeoff and climb, the aircraft was cruising at flight level 85 with the engines operating at 29" manifold pressure and 2050 rpm. BMEP gauges were not fitted. At 16:30 hours the flight reported its position 100 miles out from Bangalore and estimated Bombay FIR boundary at 17:00. The flight was uneventful up to about 16:50 when the pilot heard a loud "thud" which he believed to be an engine misfiring. This was followed by the aircraft losing height rapidly. The auto pilot was disengaged and the aircraft was trimmed for manual flight. In order to maintain height the pilot applied climb power, and then METO power by moving the pitch and throttle controls forward, and although the manifold pressure increased first to 35" and then to 40", the engine speed remained constant at 2050 rpm and the aircraft continued to lose height at a descent rate of 1500 feet per minute. Cylinder head temperatures were not apparently noted. The pilot eventually made a wheels-up landing in a ploughed field at an elevation of 1900 feet. All 36 occupants were evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Cause: Human factor

Occupants & Outcome

Crew On Board

6

Passengers On Board

30

Estimated Survivors

36

Fatality Rate

0.0%

Known people on board: 36

Operational Details

Schedule / Flight

Bangalore – Bombay

Operator

Indian Airlines

Flight Type

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Flight Phase

Flight

Crash Site

Plain, Valley

Region / Country

Asia • India

Aircraft Details

Registration

VT-DIC

MSN

10376

Year of Manufacture

1944

Similar Plane Crashes

August 25, 1922 at 12:00 AM

Wilfred Theodore Blake

Fairey III

The British Major Wilfred Theodore Blake was trying to complete one of the first World Tour. Last May, he crashed with his DH.9 in Marseille but continued with this Fairey IIIC. The airplane departed the east coast of India bound to Chittagong. While cruising off the West Bengal State, the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in the sea off Sagar. All three occupants were rescued and the aircraft was lost. Crew: Norman MacMillan, pilot, Wilfred Theodore Blake, copilot and navigator, Colonel L. E. Broome, photographer.

May 7, 1924 at 12:00 AM

Brito Pais

Breguet 14

Both Portuguese aviators Brito Pais and Sarmento Beires departed Portugal (Vila Nova de Milfontes) on a flight to Macau with intermediate stops in Tunis, Cairo, Bushehr and Karachi. While flying over Rajasthan, the crew encountered engine problems and was forced to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed and was damaged beyond repair. Both pilots escaped uninjured and continued their trip with a De Havilland DH.9.

July 18, 1927 at 12:00 AM

Thomas Neville Stack

De Havilland DH.60 Moth

The aircraft was owned by Thomas Neville Stack but piloted this day by W. H. Vetch for a demo flight at Shillong. After performing several manoeuvres, the pilot started an approach but was too low when the aircraft hit power cables and crashed into the public. The pilot and four other people were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

August 4, 1927 at 12:00 AM

Dennis M. M. Rooke

De Havilland DH.60 Moth

Dennis M. M. Rooke, pilot and owner of this aircraft named 'Marjorie', was performing a flight from England to Australia. Shortly after takeoff from Aurangabad, en route to Darwin, the aircraft hit a palm tree and crashed. The pilot was injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

June 10, 1929 at 12:00 AM

Van Lear Black

Fokker F7

The aircraft named 'Maryland Free State' departed London on a trip to Tokyo, carrying three passengers and two crew members. Upon landing at Calcutta-Dum Dum Airport, the airplane went out of control and crashed. All five occupants evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. Owner of the aircraft, the American businessman Van Lear Black (also owner of the US newspaper Baltimore Sun) returned to UK by train and ordered a new aircraft to complete his trip from London to Tokyo.

April 17, 1931 at 02:00 PM

George Valentin Bibescu

Ford 5

En route, the three engine airplane collided with a vulture, forcing the crew to attempt an emergency landing in an open field. While the aircraft was damaged beyond repair, all four occupants evacuated safely. The aircraft was owned by Prince George Valentin Bibescu, President of the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI).