Trivandrum - Madurai
Flight / Schedule
Trivandrum - Madurai
Aircraft
Hindustan Aeronautics HAL-748Registration
VT-DXG
MSN
512
Year of Manufacture
1968
Operator
Indian AirlinesDate
December 9, 1971 at 12:25 PM
Type
CRASHFlight Type
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Flight Phase
Flight
Crash Site
Mountains
Crash Location
Cumbum Tamil Nadu
Region
Asia • India
Coordinates
9.7394°, 77.2853°
Crash Cause
Human factor
Narrative Report
On December 9, 1971 at 12:25 PM, Trivandrum - Madurai experienced a crash involving Hindustan Aeronautics HAL-748, operated by Indian Airlines, with the event recorded near Cumbum Tamil Nadu.
The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was flight at a mountains crash site.
31 people were known to be on board, 21 fatalities were recorded, 10 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 67.7%.
Crew on board: 4, crew fatalities: 4, passengers on board: 27, passenger fatalities: 17, other fatalities: 0.
The listed crash cause is human factor. While cruising in marginal weather conditions from Trivandrum to Madurai at an altitude of 5,200 feet, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain located in the Megamalai Mountain Range, some 90 km southwest of Madurai Airport. The wreckage was found southeast of Cumbum. All four crew members and 17 passengers were killed while 10 others were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Aircraft reference details include registration VT-DXG, MSN 512, year of manufacture 1968.
Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 9.7394°, 77.2853°.
Fatalities
Total
21
Crew
4
Passengers
17
Other
0
Crash Summary
While cruising in marginal weather conditions from Trivandrum to Madurai at an altitude of 5,200 feet, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain located in the Megamalai Mountain Range, some 90 km southwest of Madurai Airport. The wreckage was found southeast of Cumbum. All four crew members and 17 passengers were killed while 10 others were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Cause: Human factor
Occupants & Outcome
Crew On Board
4
Passengers On Board
27
Estimated Survivors
10
Fatality Rate
67.7%
Known people on board: 31
Operational Details
Schedule / Flight
Trivandrum - Madurai
Operator
Indian AirlinesFlight Type
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Flight Phase
Flight
Crash Site
Mountains
Region / Country
Asia • India
Aircraft Details
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