Accident
While approaching Bombay Airport from the southeast during nighttime, the aircraft encountered technical problems and struck the slope of Mt Kisoli, located 30 km southeast of Bombay Airport. Search and rescue operations were hampered by a lack of visibility and heavy rainfall. The wreckage was located a few hours later. All 45 occupants were killed.
Probable Cause
The official investigation determined the accident resulted from a combination of factors: a momentary or intermittent loss of electrical contact in the aircraft's glide slope (G/S) system, which gave the pilot an erroneous impression of glide slope interception; the pilot's failure to adhere to DOC 4444 by not using the glidepath facility only after the Outer Marker and by descending below 2,910 feet without first cross-checking over the Outer Marker; and the radar controller's failure to comply with DOC 4444 by not providing position information to the aircraft, using incorrect or non-standard phraseology, and failing to inform the aircraft about the loss of radar contact.