What happened
A ferry flight operated from Hanoi to Calcutta, with a planned refueling stop in Rangoon, resulted in an emergency landing. The Antonov 26 departed Hanoi at 09:00, with an expected arrival time in Calcutta of 14:50. During the initial communication with Calcutta Air Traffic Control, the crew reported that the aircraft was operating with minimum fuel levels and requested radar vectors to facilitate a straight-in approach.
Following this request, the aircraft deviated from its intended flight path and the crew became lost. The aircraft eventually ran out of fuel, necessitating a forced landing approximately 28 nautical miles northeast of the Calcutta airport. While the Antonov 26 sustained damage that rendered it beyond repair, all seven occupants of the aircraft managed to escape the wreckage uninjured.
Findings
Investigations into the incident suggest that the crew's loss of situational awareness was exacerbated by a lack of-assistance from air traffic controllers. It was noted that Calcutta ATC did not provide significant aid or serious radar monitoring despite the pilot's explicit warnings regarding low fuel reserves.