Aircraft accident near Nagpur Airport

10 fatalities • Nagpur, India • Takeoff (climb)

An aircraft crashed during its initial climb from Nagpur Airport, resulting in the deaths of all ten people on board.

What happened

At 03:48 local time, an aircraft departed from runway 09 at Nagpur Airport, bound for New Delhi. Shortly after takeoff, approximately two minutes into the flight, the aircraft was performing a climb at a low altitude. During this phase, the pilot-in-command initiated a sharp turn to the left. This maneuver caused the aircraft to enter a stall, leading to a crash in an open field situated 5,650 feet beyond the end of the runway. The impact and subsequent post-crash fire resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft and ten fatalities.

Findings

Investigations concluded that the accident occurred because the aircraft slipped into the ground during a poorly executed steep turn to port. This maneuver was performed at night while the plane was at a low altitude. While the pilot chose a left-hand turn rather than the more common right-hand departure pattern used for flights from runway 27, this specific direction was not considered a primary factor in the crash. Instead, the improper execution of the steep turn was the critical element. Investigators noted several possibilities for why such an aggressive turn was attempted, including an effort to reach the flight path quickly, a reliance on visual references rather than instruments, or potential errors caused by misleading instrument readings.

Probable cause

The aircraft entered a stall and struck the ground due to the improper execution of a steep turn at a low altitude during night operations.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 1955-02-02 Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3) accident near Nagpur, India?

An aircraft crashed during its initial climb from Nagpur Airport, resulting in the deaths of all ten people on board.

Were there any fatalities in the 1955-02-02 Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3) accident?

The accident was fatal, resulting in 10 fatalities.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 1955-02-02 involved a Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3), registration VT-CVB, operated by Indian Airlines, at Nagpur, India.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The aircraft entered a stall and struck the ground due to the improper execution of a steep turn at a low altitude during night operations.

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