What happened
On 07 August 2020, an Air India Express Boeing 737-800, registration VT-AXH, was performing a repatriation flight from Dubai to Kozhikode as part of the Vande Bharat Mission. During the arrival process, the flight crew initially performed a missed approach on runway 28 before attempting a second approach on runway 10.
As the aircraft touched down on runway 10, it did so at approximately 4,438 feet into the 8,858-foot runway. The landing occurred during light rain with a 15-knot tailwind. The aircraft was unable to stop within the available runway distance, leading to a runway overrun. The aircraft exited the end of the runway at 84 knots, overshot the Runway End Safety Area (RESA), and struck ILS antennae and a fence. The aircraft then plummeted approximately 110 feet down a tabletop edge, impacting a perimeter road. The impact caused the fuselage to break into three sections and the engines to separate from the wings. The accident resulted in 19 fatalities and 75 serious injuries.
The investigation
The AAIB India investigation examined the flight's descent, the crew's performance, and the aerodrome's infrastructure. Investigators analyzed the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and digital flight data recorder (DFDR) to reconstruct the final moments of the flight. The inquiry looked into the meteorological conditions, specifically the presence of rain and tailwinds, as well as the aircraft's deceleration systems, including brakes and autobrakes. The investigation also reviewed the aerodrome's runway strip, the RESA, and the suitability of the approach procedures used by the crew.