What happened
During an approach to Bombay-Santa Cruz Airport, the flight crew encountered deteriorating weather conditions characterized by poor visibility. The aircraft, a four-engine model named 'Franeker', was positioned too low during the final phase of the landing sequence. Consequently, it struck the slope of Ghatkopar Hill, which stands 240 meters high and is located approximately five kilometers from the threshold of Runway 23. The impact caused the airframe to disintegrate completely. All 45 occupants perished in the accident, a group that included thirteen American journalists.
Findings
The investigation board concluded that two successive errors of judgment by the pilot were the primary causes of the disaster. First, the pilot initiated a landing procedure at an aerodrome with which he was unfamiliar, despite weather conditions falling below the prescribed minimums for that airport. Second, upon arriving over the airfield, he flew at an altitude that was too low over terrain containing a known hazard—a hill that was obscured by low cloud and poor visibility.
The board also identified significant contributing factors related to Air Traffic Control (ATC). ATC failed to advise the pilot to delay the landing until conditions improved or to divert to an alternative aerodrome. Additionally, ATC designated a runway for the approach that required the aircraft to fly low over dangerous terrain.