What happened
During a nighttime approach to Bombay Airport from the southeast, the flight encountered significant technical difficulties. While navigating toward the airport, the aircraft collided with the slope of Mt Kisoli, situated approximately 30 km southeast of the destination. Search and rescue efforts following the impact were severely obstructed by heavy rainfall and poor visibility.
The wreckage was located several hours after the incident. There were no survivors among the 45 fatalities recorded from the flight's occupants.
Findings
Investigations into the crash identified several contributing factors related to equipment failure and procedural errors. A primary cause was an intermittent loss of electrical connection within the aircraft's glide slope system, which provided the pilot with a false indication that the glide slope had been successfully intercepted.
Furthermore, the crew failed to adhere to established flight procedures regarding the use of glidepath facilities and altitude restrictions after passing the Outer Marker. The investigation also noted deficiencies in air traffic control performance, specifically noting that the radar controller failed to provide regular position updates, used non-standard communication phraseology, and did not notify the crew when radar contact had been lost.