Air India Express B738 crash
Join Date: Jul 2011
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Report by DGCA
DGCA has released it's report on the accident...
http://www.dgca.nic.in/accident/reports/VT-AXV.pdf
http://www.dgca.nic.in/accident/reports/VT-AXV.pdf
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Kentucky
Age: 77
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Er, dunno if this is easier. No password here.....
How would I "upload" a pdf to somewhere so that you could get at it?
http://www.dgca.nic.in/accident/reports/VT-AXV.pdf
How would I "upload" a pdf to somewhere so that you could get at it?
http://www.dgca.nic.in/accident/reports/VT-AXV.pdf
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Wor Yerm
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Well done to the DGCA.
I think the DGCA should have a pat on the back for this one. Obviously there will be elements which you can disagree with and others which should be included. Personally, I liked the way they addressed the cultural issues regarding AI vs AI Express and also Locals vs Foreigners issue. On the negative side, I think the possible reasons as to why the captain continued with a hopelessly hot and high approach were not gone into in sufficient depth. Some were addressed, such as the 'counselling' and go-around reporting but I think there has to be more to this incident than that. But that also says something about the quality of the report. Only very rarely do reports come from this part of the world which contain sufficient facts (History of Flight) which enables an alternative view to be held.
Join Date: Apr 2009
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Boy, what I really get from this report is, the captain for whatever reason (probably sleeping to long and not alert for landing), wasn't aware of his height on the approach until it was way to late and the first officer was just not effective at making the captain aware of his altitude during the approach. Then the capt. Really screwed up by pushing it in. Really sad, could happen to any one of us if we try and rescue things too much, but he was really really high on that approach and didn't seem to understand until 3 miles he was on the false glide.
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It appears he was on the false glid slope at 9 degrees rather than the 3 degrees. That's why the ap was flying the glide slope descending at nearly 1700 fpm. The first time I think it dawns on him is whe the fo states the runway in site below us. That's when he turns off the ap and starts descending at almost 3 k a minute.
I wouldn't think he was in a mental state that he could do no wrong at this point. It really appears he was way behind the situation and it lead to tunnel vision, which is why I say it can happen to any one of us. The lesson to learn is effective communication is key. After waking the fo didn't properly let the captain know about the state of the descent profile, the captain didn't properly understand why his fo was telling him to go around. This crash is a perfect example of poor cockpit communication, the barrier being the capt woke up too late to fully get his brain running properly. Tunnel vision in critical places can happen to anybody and pilots really need to recognize when someone is in this state and know how to jolt them out of it and bring them back in the game.
I wouldn't think he was in a mental state that he could do no wrong at this point. It really appears he was way behind the situation and it lead to tunnel vision, which is why I say it can happen to any one of us. The lesson to learn is effective communication is key. After waking the fo didn't properly let the captain know about the state of the descent profile, the captain didn't properly understand why his fo was telling him to go around. This crash is a perfect example of poor cockpit communication, the barrier being the capt woke up too late to fully get his brain running properly. Tunnel vision in critical places can happen to anybody and pilots really need to recognize when someone is in this state and know how to jolt them out of it and bring them back in the game.
The report is suitably critical like the recent one from Pakistan. The investigators have done a good job and the failings of the unfortunate crew and their employer are well and truly exposed.
Equally I think this is a tragic example of what can happen. You are a pilot with your national airline, which for reason's largely beyond your control no longer offers you further employment. You work your way through jobs on several continents ending up with the low cost offshoot of another national carrier.
On paper you are well rested. In reality you have been rushing round the world trying to find a better job. On a night turn just back from leave you are so exhausted you fall asleep.
The co-pilot who resents not already being a captain watches from the sidelines as you monumentally screw up the approach. He has already mentally started drafting yet another report about incompetent foreign captains. He makes an attempt to get you to go-around at the last minute when he realizes you have really lost the plot.
In panic you make the screw up even worse and try and take off again after deploying the reversers. Your last words as you realize your mistake, this is going to be.... a big one, you know you are doomed. Personally I cannot help feeling a bit sorry for him and very sad for his passengers.
Equally I think this is a tragic example of what can happen. You are a pilot with your national airline, which for reason's largely beyond your control no longer offers you further employment. You work your way through jobs on several continents ending up with the low cost offshoot of another national carrier.
On paper you are well rested. In reality you have been rushing round the world trying to find a better job. On a night turn just back from leave you are so exhausted you fall asleep.
The co-pilot who resents not already being a captain watches from the sidelines as you monumentally screw up the approach. He has already mentally started drafting yet another report about incompetent foreign captains. He makes an attempt to get you to go-around at the last minute when he realizes you have really lost the plot.
In panic you make the screw up even worse and try and take off again after deploying the reversers. Your last words as you realize your mistake, this is going to be.... a big one, you know you are doomed. Personally I cannot help feeling a bit sorry for him and very sad for his passengers.
