Bangkok - New Delhi - Frankfurt

On December 20, 1973 at 01:03 AM, Bangkok - New Delhi - Frankfurt experienced a crash involving Boeing 707, operated by Lufthansa, with the event recorded near New Delhi-Palam National Capital Territory of Delhi.

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

109 people were known to be on board, 0 fatalities were recorded, 109 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 0.0%.

Crew on board: 11, crew fatalities: 0, passengers on board: 98, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. The approach to New Delhi-Palam Airport was initiated by night and marginal weather conditions with a limited visibility due to haze/fog. The copilot was the pilot-in-command and about 8 km on final, the airplane was too high on the glide with an approach speed in excess of 65 knots. Flaps were configured in a down position and the airplane started to lose height and speed. The captain failed to intervene and to realize that the airplane was too low when it struck approach lights and various equipments about 460 meters short of runway threshold. Out of control, the airplane crashed on the ground, lost its four engines and slid for few hundred meters before coming to rest in flames. Fire brigade and rescuers arrived on the scene 18 minutes later and the aircraft was largely consumed by fire. All 109 occupants were evacuated, among them 40 were injured.

Aircraft reference details include registration D-ABOT, MSN 18463, year of manufacture 1964.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 28.5956°, 77.0809°.