What happened
On the scheduled flight IC491, an Indian Airlines Boeing 737, registration VT-ECQ, was performing a multi-leg journey including stops in Delhi, Jaipur, Udaipur, Aurangabad, and Bombay. While the initial segments of the flight from Delhi to Aurangabad proceeded without incident, a fatal accident occurred during the departure from Aurangabad.
As the aircraft began its takeoff roll, it reached the end of the runway and lifted off. Shortly after rotation, the aircraft struck a lorry transporting pressed cotton bales that was traveling North to South on a highway located approximately 410 feet from the runway threshold. During this collision, the left engine bottom cowling, the thrust reverser, and the main landing gear made contact with the truck at an elevation of roughly seven feet above the road surface.
Following the impact with the vehicle, the aircraft continued its flight path and struck high-tension electrical wires situated approximately 3 kilometers North-East of the runway. The subsequent impact with the ground resulted in a post-crash fire that destroyed the airframe. There were 118 people on board the aircraft at the time of the accident, and the crash resulted in 55 fatalities.
Findings
- The aircraft's takeoff roll ended with a collision with a heavy goods vehicle on a highway adjacent to the runway.
- Collision with a truck on the highway caused significant structural damage to the left side of the aircraft, including the landing gear and engine components.
- Contact with high-tension power lines further destabilized the aircraft before the final ground impact.