What happened
On 15 November 1993, an Indian Airlines Airbus A-300, registration VT-EDV, was performing a scheduled flight from Madras to Hyderabad. During the approach to Hyderabad, the flight crew encountered low visibility, which necessitated a missed approach. While holding overhead, the crew identified a mechanical issue involving the aircraft's flaps. During this period, the crew checked visibility conditions at nearby Air Force bases, but found similar low-visibility constraints.
Following the decision to divert back to Madras, the technical malfunction required the crew to operate the aircraft at reduced speeds and lower altitudes. This operational constraint led to an increased rate of fuel consumption, eventually resulting in a critical fuel shortage. The crew requested permission to land at Tirupati instead of Madras; however, the aircraft was unable to reach the Tirupati runway. The crew performed a forced landing in an open paddy field located approximately 14 nautical miles from the Tirupati airport. The aircraft slid across the soft terrain before coming to a complete stop. No fire occurred during the incident, and passengers were evacuated using the onboard escape slides.
Findings
- The primary factor leading to the emergency was a flap malfunction that prevented the aircraft from maintaining standard flight parameters.
- The necessity of flying at low speeds and altitudes caused the aircraft to consume fuel more rapidly than anticipated.
- There were 0 fatalities and 4 minor injuries reported among the 262 people on board.