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My personal take on the unfortunate accident at Calicut.
I have personally done the route Dubai Calicut as early as in the lockdown period in rains with the Lear Jet 45 as an air ambulance bringing home a critical patient.
It’s always a cocktail of events in sequence
I have personally done the route Dubai Calicut as early as in the lockdown period in rains with the Lear Jet 45 as an air ambulance bringing home a critical patient.
It’s always a cocktail of events in sequence
which leads to an accident.
1. Weather was bad with rain and low clouds as low as 300feet above the ground.
2. First approach is on runway 28. Minimum for ILS is 215’ AGL. He went round possibly at MDH of 215’ as he couldn’t sight the runway lights which implies that the
1. Weather was bad with rain and low clouds as low as 300feet above the ground.
2. First approach is on runway 28. Minimum for ILS is 215’ AGL. He went round possibly at MDH of 215’ as he couldn’t sight the runway lights which implies that the
cloud base in this hilly terrain was less than 200’ actually. On approach head winds were around 12kts.
3. He took the decision to make an approach from the other end. Winds would be around 10kts tail which is within limits.
4. He executed the perfect landing on runway 10
3. He took the decision to make an approach from the other end. Winds would be around 10kts tail which is within limits.
4. He executed the perfect landing on runway 10
but the ground speed with 10 Kts tail wind may have resulted in a longer float and eaten away the precious limited runway length.
5. Heavy rubber deposit on the runway and aqua planning took place and despite his efforts to stop the aircraft, the brakes just didn’t take effect.
5. Heavy rubber deposit on the runway and aqua planning took place and despite his efforts to stop the aircraft, the brakes just didn’t take effect.
I have experienced the same and it’s the most dirty feeling in the stomach.
6. But you can not go round at this stage and switching off the engines is the only alternative. He did so. But the speed of the aircraft was so high that it smashed the boundary wall and fell in to
6. But you can not go round at this stage and switching off the engines is the only alternative. He did so. But the speed of the aircraft was so high that it smashed the boundary wall and fell in to
the 35 ‘ gorge breaking in to 3 pieces.
7. RIP Capt Sathe and Capt Akhilesh. You did your best that the best pilot in the world could have done. But it wasn’t just your day. Your sacrifice shouldn’t go in vain. Had the engines not been switched off, fire would have taken place
7. RIP Capt Sathe and Capt Akhilesh. You did your best that the best pilot in the world could have done. But it wasn’t just your day. Your sacrifice shouldn’t go in vain. Had the engines not been switched off, fire would have taken place
on impact increasing the toll drastically.
What we should learn:
1. If weather is marginal and you go round, DIVERT. Don’t think of the second successful attempt.
2. Do not land in tail wind as the reported wind and actual wind can be different. I have always seen that
What we should learn:
1. If weather is marginal and you go round, DIVERT. Don’t think of the second successful attempt.
2. Do not land in tail wind as the reported wind and actual wind can be different. I have always seen that
if it’s tail wind then it’s always higher than the tower observed. Many many a times the wind is reported as variable 6 kts. During landing flare I have found its more than 8 kts tail winds as the aircraft refuses to sit down despite my actions. 
.
3. It’s a reality that the
.3. It’s a reality that the
rubber deposit on the runways drastically reduce the friction coefficient and hence reduced braking in d first 1500 feet and the last 1500 feet. So practically you don’t get effective braking in approximate 3000 feet of the runway.
4.If it’s raining at an airport, be prepared
4.If it’s raining at an airport, be prepared
for standing water. Even the Mumbai airport gets flooded. But we pilots feel that it cannot happen to me. I have myself experienced aqua planning and have taken the pledge not to land in adequate runways in continuous rain. Well, if the book says 4000 feet landing roll required
in normal conditions, it increases to 8000 feet in wet runway. So keep a 20-30% safety margin. BELIEVE THE BOOK. DIVERT.
5. If a doctor makes a mistake, d patient dies. If a pilot makes a mistake, first he dies. As far as the Authorities are concerned, they will never give the
5. If a doctor makes a mistake, d patient dies. If a pilot makes a mistake, first he dies. As far as the Authorities are concerned, they will never give the
pilot any award. If he survives they will hang him “ Pilot Error “. If he dies, they will bang him. PERIOD.
6. In this 32 years in aviation I have seen so many accidents and they don’t seem to stop.
7. The Company has nothing to loose. In fact it gains a heafty amount. If they
6. In this 32 years in aviation I have seen so many accidents and they don’t seem to stop.
7. The Company has nothing to loose. In fact it gains a heafty amount. If they
sell the aircraft they may get, say 100 Cr. But the insurance amount is more than double. It’s a universal fact which we pilots don’t know. Your family is the worst sufferers. TAKE THAT EXTRA CARE. YOU ARE THE ONE AND ONLY ONE FOR YOUR FAMILY. Fly Safe. GOD BLESS #AirIndiaCrash
