Runway Overrun on Landing at Delhi Airport After Unstabilized Approach (VT-ECS)

Event

The aircraft was configured incorrectly during the approach, resulting in a landing approximately 600 metres from the end of the runway. After touchdown, the crew was unable to stop within the remaining distance. The aircraft overran the runway, struck a concrete wall 45 centimetres high, and came to rest 450 metres beyond the wall. The aircraft sustained damage beyond repair, but all 108 occupants evacuated safely.

Probable Cause

The official investigation determined the accident resulted from a combination of factors:

• The pilot-in-command's injudicious and imprudent decision to complete the flight hastily before a notified closure of Delhi airport for a VVIP flight.
• A dangerously unstabilized approach, primarily due to the pilot-in-command's failure to decelerate the aircraft in time.
• The first officer's failure to call out significant deviations from the stipulated approach parameters.
• The pilot-in-command's failure to execute a missed approach despite the grossly unstabilized approach.
• The inadvertent omission by the pilot-in-command to arm the speed brake before landing.
• Touchdown at excessive speed and too far down the runway.
• Failure of both pilots to monitor automatic speed brake deployment and the pilot-in-command's failure to deploy it manually.
• Impact with an 18-inch-high cement-concrete cable duct in the unpaved area beyond the overrun.
• The pilots' disregard of procedures, regulations, and instructions.