Bangalore - Mangalore

On August 18, 1981 at 03:02 PM, Bangalore - Mangalore experienced a crash involving Hindustan Aeronautics HAL-748, operated by Indian Airlines, with the event recorded near Mangalore-Bajpe Karnataka.

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.

26 people were known to be on board, 0 fatalities were recorded, 26 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 0.0%.

Crew on board: 4, crew fatalities: 0, passengers on board: 22, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. The aircraft departed Bangalore for flight IC557 to Mangalore. After the aircraft became airborne, Mangalore weather was passed to the aircraft indicating deterioration in weather with conditions below minima. The aircraft arrived near Mangalore uneventfully and ATC informed that it was raining and the visibility was 1,000 metres. Therefore, the commander decided to hold the aircraft. A few minutes later, ATC informed that the visibility had improved to 2,000 meters and clouds were 4/8 at 700 feet. Thereafter, the aircraft was instructed to descend to 3,550 feet. Having sighted the runway, the captain turned right to position the aircraft for a left-hand downwind leg of the runway. However, ATC cautioned that the south of the runway was full of low cloud. Therefore, the aircraft took a left-hand circuit for landing. The aircraft landed almost on the middle of the runway at high speed, under adverse weather conditions. The aircraft could not be stopped within the available field length. Its nose wheel was sheared off and the aircraft continued skidding forward and nosed over into a valley beyond the airport plateau and came to stop against two huge boulders on the steep rocky terrain. The aircraft was substantially damaged. Five passengers and two cabin crew received minor injuries. There was a fire under the left-hand engine/wing which was extinguished.

Aircraft reference details include registration VT-DXF, MSN 511, year of manufacture 1967.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 12.9546°, 74.8847°.