FlightFinder
Check my flight
4 fatalities

Training flight accident at Bombay-Santa Cruz Airport (VT-DSB)

Mumbai, IndiaLanding (descent or approach)

On September 4, 1966, a Sud-Aviation SE-210 Caravelle (registration VT-DSB) operated by Indian Airlines was involved in an aviation accident near Mumbai, India during landing or approach. 4 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The intentional shutdown of an engine to simulate a failure during a low-altitude approach led to the aircraft striking terrain. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-06-12Data APIEditorial standards

A training flight involving an engine shutdown simulation resulted in a fatal crash near Bombay-Santa Cruz Airport.

What happened

During a scheduled local training mission operating out of Bombay-Santa Cruz Airport, the crew was performing maneuvers to simulate emergency procedures. While the aircraft was on its final approach and maintaining an altitude of approximately 800 feet, the flight crew intentionally deactivated one engine to mimic an in-flight power loss. During this simulation, the aircraft type impacted a nearby hill, leading to a crash.

Findings

  • The accident occurred during the final approach phase of flight.
  • The crew had manually initiated an engine shutdown for training purposes.
  • The impact with terrain resulted in four fatalities among the crew members.

Probable cause

The intentional shutdown of an engine to simulate a failure during a low-altitude approach led to the aircraft striking terrain.

Related events

Same operator

More accident analyses