Air India Express crash kills 19 with injuries to 138.

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August 08, 2020
cockpit automation
Air India Express 737. Credit: Aviation Herald

An Air India Express Boeing 737-800, operating Flt IX-1344 from Dubai to Kozhikode (Calicut) in India with 184 passengers and 6 crew, has overrun the runway and plummeted into a valley at 19:41 Local time.

According to Aviation Herald, the 737 came to a stop 50 feet below the runway.

It is understood that 19 people including both pilots died in the accident, with 138 receiving injuries with 15 of them in critical condition.

AirlineRatings.com recently downgraded Air India Express to a 3-star airline because of numerous overruns one of which was a fatal crash in May 2010.

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The chairman of India’s DGCA reported 16 people have lost their lives in the accident.

The airline said: “Air India Express flight IX 1344 operated by B737 aircraft from Dubai to Calicut overshot runway at Kozhikode at 1941 hrs tonight. No fire reported at the time of landing. There are 174 passengers, 10 Infants, 2 Pilots and 5 cabin Crew onboard the aircraft. As per the initial reports, rescue operations are ongoing and passengers are being taken to hospital for medical care. We will soon share the update in this regard.”

India’s DGCA reported: “Air India Express AXB1344, B737 Dubai to Calicut, persons on board 191, visibility 2000 meter, heavy rain, after landing Runway 10, continued running to the end of the runway and falling down in the valley and broke down in two pieces.” The DGCA has ordered an investigation.

737 at the bottom of the ravine. Credit: Aviation Herald

The runway at the airport is 10/28 and is 2845 meters/9330 feet long and features ILS approaches for both runways 10 and 28 as well as VOR approaches to both runways.

Aviation Herald says that “according to ADS-B Data the aircraft had attempted one approach to runway 28 about 20 minutes prior to the landing but had gone around from about 2700 feet.”

Then the crew apparently chose to execute an instrument approach to runway 10, which had a 12-knot tailwind and was contaminated.

Credit: BFM News @NewsBFM ·

Some information provided to AirlineRatings.com indicates that the aircraft touchdown passed the touchdown zone.

Not surprisingly the 737 could not be stopped, overran the runway, went down the steep embankment, and broke up.

The runway overrun area is only 90m and should be 240m.