Accident Sequence
During a night approach to New Delhi-Palam Airport, the captain discontinued the initial landing procedure and executed a go-around. Shortly thereafter, on a subsequent approach, the flight crew allowed the aircraft to descend to an altitude that was too low. The airplane struck the ground and crashed 1,600 meters before the runway threshold. The aircraft was completely destroyed, resulting in the deaths of all 18 persons on board.
Probable Cause
The official accident investigation concluded that during the second approach, the crew intentionally descended below the glideslope. The captain became aware of the excessively low altitude and initiated a go-around; however, the flaps were not set to the proper angle, which led to an aerodynamic stall. The aircraft was at an altitude too low for a successful stall recovery. The reduced visibility due to nighttime conditions was identified as a contributing factor.
Contributing Factors
The investigation noted that the lack of visibility caused by the dark night environment was a contributing element in the accident.