Throughout history, India has experienced numerous devastating plane crashes, each significantly affecting aviation safety standards. This article reviews 10 notable incidents, providing insights into the airlines involved, aircraft types, number of individuals onboard, causes, and fatalities—offering a poignant examination of the nation’s aviation past.
The unfortunate failure of an Air India Boeing 787 on June 12, 2025, has once again highlighted the significance of aviation safety in India. As investigations progress and families mourn, this tragedy stands as a stark reminder of earlier air calamities that have blemished the country’s aviation landscape.
Over the years, India has endured numerous heartbreaking airplane accidents, each one adding to the grief, leaving unanswered inquiries, and prompting essential safety reforms. Factors such as pilot mistakes, adverse weather, mechanical issues, and miscommunications have influenced the development of the nation’s aviation regulations.
In this piece, we revisit 10 of the most critical plane crash occurrences within Indian aviation history, offering details regarding the airline, aircraft, passenger count, crash locations, potential causes, and fatalities.
10 Plane Crashes That Shook the Nation
1. Air India Flight AI‑171 (June 12, 2025)
The nation was awakened by tragedy as an Air India Dreamliner went down shortly after departing from Ahmedabad, sending tremors of shock across the country. The cause remains under investigation.
- Airline / Aircraft: Air India Boeing 787‑8 Dreamliner
- Mode: Scheduled international flight (Ahmedabad → London Gatwick)
- Passengers & Crew: 242 (230 passengers, 12 crew)
- Location: Shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Airport, Ahmedabad, crashing into Meghani Nagar
- Reason: Under investigation—Mayday call made moments prior to the crash
- Casualties: Multiple fatalities (confirmation of over 200 ongoing)
Loss of thrust. No lift. Losing power.
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That was the pilot’s chilling final May Day call before the crash.#PlaneCrash #MayDay #Aviation pic.twitter.com/t1GIZMLqUK
— travelobiz (@travelobiz) June 13, 2025
2. Air India Express Flight IX-1344 (Aug 7, 2020)
This incident during a repatriation flight amid the COVID-19 pandemic raised profound concerns regarding operations under monsoon conditions at Kozhikode’s tabletop runway.
- Airline / Aircraft: Air India Express Boeing 737‑8HG
- Mode: Repatriation flight from Dubai to Kozhikode
- Passengers & Crew: 190 (184 passengers, 6 crew)
- Location: Skidded off the tabletop runway at Kozhikode in heavy rain
- Reason: Pilot error in harsh weather conditions—overshot the runway
- Casualties: 21 fatalities (19 passengers + both pilots), with 110 injuries
3. Air India Express Flight 812 (May 22, 2010)
One of India’s most catastrophic aviation events, Air India Express Flight 812’s crash underscored the hazards associated with unstable approaches at airports surrounded by mountainous terrain and restricted runway length.
- Airline / Aircraft: Air India Express Boeing 737‑800
- Mode: International – Dubai → Mangalore
- Passengers & Crew: 166 (160 passengers, 6 crew)
- Location: Overshot the runway at Mangalore Airport, descending a slope
- Reason: Unstable approach; the captain disregarded go-around directives
- Casualties: 158 fatalities, 8 survivors
4. Indian Airlines Flight 605 (Feb 14, 1990)
This unfortunate incident near the Bangalore Golf Club highlighted the risks associated with incorrectly configured flight systems and the pilot’s excessive reliance on automation during descent.
- Airline / Aircraft: Indian Airlines Airbus A320‑231
- Mode: Domestic – Mumbai → Bangalore
- Passengers & Crew: 146 (139 passengers, 7 crew)
- Location: Crashed on a golf course close to Hindustan Airport, Bangalore
- Reason: Incorrect flight control mode selection, continued unsafe descent
- Casualties: 92 deceased, 54 injured
5. Alliance Air Flight 7412 (July 17, 2000)
This aircraft crash into a densely populated area in Patna raised alarms about pilot training and readiness for emergencies at regional airports.
- Airline / Aircraft: Alliance Air Boeing 737‑200
- Mode: Domestic – Kolkata → Delhi (with a stop in Patna)
- Passengers & Crew: 58 (52 passengers, 6 crew)
- Location: Crashed in a residential zone near Patna Airport
- Reason: Incorrect management of stall and go-around due to pilot error
- Casualties: 60 fatalities (55 onboard, 5 on ground); 3 survivors onboard
6. Charkhi Dadri Mid‑Air Collision (Nov 12, 1996)
India marked its most fatal aviation disaster when two international flights, Saudia and Kazakhstan Airlines, collided mid-air due to communication breakdowns and lack of collision-avoidance systems.
- Airline / Aircraft: Saudia Boeing 747 & Kazakhstan Airlines Ilyushin Il‑76
- Mode: Saudia (Delhi→Dhahran), Kazakhstan (Chimkent→Delhi)
- Passengers & Crew: 349 in total (312 + 37)
- Location: Over Charkhi Dadri, Haryana
- Reason: Incorrect descent by Kazakhstan crew; ACAS not in use
- Casualties: All 349 aboard both flights perished; no survivors
7. Indian Airlines Flight 440 (May 31, 1973)
This early commercial aviation disaster emphasized the necessity for proper landing procedures, marking one of Delhi’s most lethal aviation occurrences in the 1970s.
- Airline / Aircraft: Indian Airlines Boeing 737
- Mode: Domestic – Delhi → Bombay
- Passengers & Crew: 65 onboard;
- Location: Approached Palam Airport, Delhi
- Reason: Pilot error during landing
- Casualties: 48 fatalities, 17 survived
8. Indian Airlines Flight 171 (Oct 12, 1976)
An engine fire shortly after takeoff had catastrophic consequences, underscoring the urgent demand for enhanced in-flight fire suppression systems in Indian civil aviation.
- Airline / Aircraft: Indian Airlines Caravelle (?)
- Mode: Domestic – Bombay flight
- Passengers & Crew: 95 individuals onboard
- Location: Crashed off Bombay due to the engine fire
- Reason: Uncontained engine malfunction resulted in an in-flight fire
9. Air India Flight 855 (Jan 1, 1978)
What began as a routine New Year’s Day flight turned disastrous for Air India Flight 855 when the crew experienced spatial disorientation after instrument failure, causing it to plunge into the Arabian Sea.
- Airline / Aircraft: Air India Boeing 747‑168B
- Mode: Mumbai → Dubai → onward routes
- Passengers & Crew: 213 individuals onboard
- Location: Crashed into the Arabian Sea following departure from Mumbai
- Reason: Spatial disorientation of the pilot due to instrument malfunction.
- Casualties: All 213 aboard lost their lives
10. Indian Airlines Flight IC‑113 (Feb 14, 1993)
This crash during the approach to Bombay airport highlighted deficiencies in cockpit decision-making and prompted significant revisions to pilot training procedures across the nation.
- Airline / Aircraft: Indian Airlines Boeing 737
- Mode: Domestic – Delhi → Bombay
- Passengers & Crew: 69 (assuming full capacity)
- Location: Crashed on approach to Bombay
- Reason: Pilot error
- Casualties: All 69 individuals onboard were lost
Final Thoughts
The horrifying Boeing 787 incident in Ahmedabad serves as a stark contrast to earlier mid-air collisions and runway overruns; these calamities illustrate diverse causes: pilot mistakes, inclement weather, equipment malfunctions, and procedural failures. They emphasize the vital importance of persistent vigilance, comprehensive training, infrastructure enhancements, and implementing safety technologies like ACAS/TCAS.
Fonte: Travelo Biz
