1994 Indira Gandhi Airport collision

1994 Indira Gandhi International Airport collision

Accident
Date	8 March 1994
Summary	Loss of control after takeoff due to pilot error during a simulated engine failure
Site	Near Delhi-Indira Gandhi International Airport, India 28.555°N 77.084°E / 28.555; 77.084
Total fatalities	9
Total injuries	4
First aircraft
The 737-200 involved in 1987, while operating for Busy Bee
Type	Boeing 737-200
Operator	Sahara India Airlines
Call sign	VICTOR INDIA ALPHA
Registration	VT-SIA
Flight origin	Delhi-Indira Gandhi International Airport, India
Destination	Delhi-Indira Gandhi International Airport, India
Occupants	4
Passengers	0
Crew	4
Fatalities	4
Survivors	0
Second aircraft
An Aeroflot Il-86 similar to the one involved
Type	Ilyushin Il-86
Operator	Aeroflot
IATA flight No.	SU558
ICAO flight No.	AFL558
Call sign	AEROFLOT 558
Registration	RA-86119
Flight origin	Changi Airport, Singapore
Stopover	Delhi-Indira Gandhi International Airport, India
Destination	Sheremetyevo International Airport, Moscow
Occupants	4
Passengers	0
Crew	4
Fatalities	4
Survivors	0
Ground casualties
Ground fatalities	1
Ground injuries	4

On 8 March 1994, a Sahara India Airlines Boeing 737 crashed shortly after takeoff. The plane slammed into an Aeroflot Ilyushin Il-86, which led to both aircraft being destroyed. All 8 crew members on both planes were killed, along with one person on the ground. There were no passengers on either aircraft during the crash. The cause of the crash was determined to be pilot error.

Aircraft

The aircraft was manufactured for Busy Bee in 1979. It had also made its first flight on April 25, 1979. The aircraft was sold to Sahara India Airlines in October 1993 and was almost 15 years old at the time of the accident. It was equipped with 2 Pratt & Whitney JT8D-17 engines.

Flight crew

The flight crew consisted of a flight instructor and three trainee pilots.

Accident

On Tuesday, March 8, 1994, the Boeing 737-200 took off from Delhi-Indira Gandhi International Airport, India. At the time of the accident, the Boeing 737-200 had completed five normal training exercises and landings. However, during the sixth training exercise, the aircraft climbed to 400–500 feet (120–150 m) when it banked left and crashed at the International Terminal Apron. The wreckage of aircraft hit an Aeroflot Ilyushin Il-86 aircraft, Flight 558, parked on Bay No. 45 as a result of which it also caught fire. All 4 crew members were killed, as well as all 4 crew members inside the Aeroflot Ilyushin Il-86 aircraft. Additionally, an employee of an airport oil company was killed when the plane impacted the tarmac.

Investigation

An investigation by the India Commercial Pilot Association (ICPA) revealed that the accident occurred due to application of wrong rudder by a trainee pilot during engine failure exercise. The flight instructor did not guard or block the rudder control and give clear commands during his role to avoid the application of wrong rudder control by the trainee pilot.