Sun, May 23, 2010
158 Reported Dead In Landing Accident
The NTSB has dispatched a team of investigators to assist the
government of India with its investigation of yesterday's airplane
accident in Mangalore.
At about 6:10 a.m. local time, Saturday, an Air India Express
B737-800 (VT-AXV), overran the runway during landing at Mangalore
International Airport. Preliminary reports indicate that 158 of the
166 passengers and crew onboard were fatally injured. Flight #182
originated in Dubai.
NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman has designated Senior Air
Safety Investigator Joe Sedor as the U.S. Accredited
Representative. The U.S. team will also include an NTSB flight
operations specialist, an NTSB aircraft systems specialist, and
technical advisors from the Federal Aviation Administration and
Boeing. The team is expected to arrive in Mangalore on
Tuesday morning (local time).
The investigation is being conducted by India's Directorate
General of Civil Aviation, which will release all information on
the progress of the investigation.
News reports indicate that one survivor of the accident reported
that there was 'a loud bang,' and then the plane caught fire.
Another said the airplane split in two, and he was able to jump out
of the wreckage before an explosion set off a much larger fire.
The pilot was reportedly a British citizen with over 10,000
hours, which included 26 landings at the Bajpe Airport about 19
miles from Mangalore. The Indian co-pilot reportedly had 66
landings there amongst his 3,750 hours.
The runway, which sits on top of a mesa and has a steep drop
into a valley, is 8,000 feet long, and has a spillover area of
about 300 feet constructed of sand designed to stop or slow a plane
which overshoots the runway.
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