What happened
On 08 August 2020, an Air-India Express Boeing 737-800, registration VT-AXH, was performing a repatriation flight from Dubai to Kozhikode as part of the Vande Bharat Mission. The flight, designated AXB 1344, was carrying 184 passengers and six crew members. During the arrival process, the aircraft performed a missed approach on runway 28 before attempting a second landing on runway 10.
The aircraft touched down on the runway at approximately 14:10 UTC. At the time of landing, there was light rain and a 15-knot tailwind. The aircraft touched down at a distance of roughly 4,438 feet along the 8,858-foot runway while traveling at a ground speed of 165 knots. The flight crew was unable to stop the aircraft within the remaining runway length, leading to a runway overrun. After exiting the runway end at 84 knots, the aircraft crossed the runway end safety area (RESA), damaging ILS antennae and a fence, before falling approximately 110 feet down the side of the tabletop runway.
The aircraft struck a perimeter road at 41 knots and stopped near the airport boundary wall. The impact caused the fuselage to break into three distinct sections, the engines to separate from the wings, and a fuel leak from the wing tanks, though no fire occurred. The accident resulted in 19 fatalities among the passengers, as well as the deaths of both pilots. Additionally, 75 passengers and one crew member sustained serious injuries, while 90 passengers and three crew members suffered minor or no injuries.
Findings
- The aircraft landed with a 15-knot tailwind during light rain, which contributed to the inability to stop on the runway.