On March 8, 1994, a Boeing 737-200 (registration VT-SIA) operated by Air Sahara (Sahara Airlines) was involved in an aviation accident near New Delhi-Indira Gandhi, India during takeoff. 5 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Loss of control after rotation due to application of wrong rudder by trainee pilot during engine failure exercise. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 1 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
Photo: San Diego Air & Space Museum Archives / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
A Boeing 737 on a training flight crashed into a parked Aeroflot Ilyushin II-86 at New Delhi-Indira Gandhi Airport, destroying both aircraft and resulting in fatalities.
Incident
A Boeing 737, carrying one instructor and three trainee pilots, was conducting a local training flight at New Delhi-Indira Gandhi Airport. The aircraft completed five circuits and landings without incident. During a sixth touch-and-go exercise, after takeoff from runway 28, the aircraft made a left turn and crashed onto the international apron. It collided with a parked Aeroflot Ilyushin II-86, registered RA-86119, located at bay 45. Both aircraft were destroyed by fire. All four occupants on the Boeing 737 were killed, along with four people on the II-86 and one person on the ground.
Investigation
The official investigation determined the probable cause of the accident. The loss of control occurred after rotation due to the application of wrong rudder by the trainee pilot during an engine failure exercise. The instructor did not guard or block the rudder control and failed to give clear commands to prevent the trainee from applying incorrect rudder input.
