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 aircraft, carrying 184 passengers and six crew members, performed an initial missed approach on runway 28 before attempting a second landing on runway 10.
During the second approach, the aircraft touched down approximately 4,438 feet down the 8,858-foot runway. Conditions at the time included light rain and a 15-knot tailwind. The aircraft failed to stop within the runway limits, resulting in a runway overrun. After exiting the end of the runway at 84 knots, the plane crossed the RESA, destroyed an ILS antenna and a fence, and fell approximately 110 feet down a tabletop embankment. The aircraft struck a perimeter road, where the fuselage broke into three sections and both engines separated from the wings. While a fuel leak occurred, no post-crash fire was reported.
The accident resulted in 21 fatalities (including both pilots) and 75 serious injuries, with an additional 90 passengers sustaining minor or no injuries.
Findings
Investigators determined that the primary cause was the pilot flying's failure to adhere to standard operating procedures by continuing an unstabilized approach and landing far beyond the touchdown zone, despite a go-around call from the pilot monitoring. The pilot monitoring also failed to take control of the aircraft to execute the necessary go-around.
Several contributing factors were identified:
- Operational pressures and staffing issues, including a lack of available captains at the base, influenced the pilot's decision-making.
- Potential cognitive impairment due to the pilot's use of anti-diabetic medication.
- Reduced visibility and potential visual illusions caused by rain and inadequate windshield wiper performance.
- Poor Crew Resource Management (CRM) characterized by a steep authority gradient that prevented the first officer from intervening.
- Inadequate maintenance of flight simulators and systemic failures in the airline's safety culture and training programs.
- Air traffic control factors, including rapid runway changes without adequate warning regarding tailwinds and the absence of a Tower Meteorological Officer during severe weather.