What happened
On January 5, 2014, an Air India Ltd. Airbus A320-231, registration VT-ESH, was operating flight AI-890 from Imphal to Delhi via Guwahati. During the final leg from Guwahati to Delhi, the flight crew encountered severe weather conditions and low visibility at Delhi, which prevented landing. After attempting to land at Delhi and subsequently performing a missed approach, the crew decided to divert to Jaipur, as they were closer to that airport and believed the visibility was sufficient.
Upon approaching Jaipur, the crew observed that weather conditions were rapidly deteriorating. While the crew was aware of the decreasing visibility, they informed air traffic control that they were committed to landing in Jaipur due to low fuel levels. The aircraft was performing an ILS approach for runway 27. During the descent, the visibility dropped to approximately 50 meters with an RVR of 200 meters.
As the aircraft descended below the minimum descent altitude (MDA), the commander transitioned to a manual landing. During the landing roll, the aircraft deviated from the runway centerline and drifted onto the unpaved ground on the left side of the runway. The aircraft' and left wing struck trees, causing structural damage to the wing. The aircraft eventually came to a halt on the left side of the runway, obstructing operations. There were 1 injury reported, involving a minor bruise to a passenger, and no fatalities.