13 Air India crashes, 1,200+ deaths: The one deadly mistake found in every tragedy

13 Air India crashes, 1,200+ deaths: The one deadly mistake found in every tragedy

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, June 17, 2025: The Air India plane crash that took place on June 12, 2025, in the skies over Ahmedabad has once again thrown the aviation safety protocols into serious question. Air India Flight AI-171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner headed for London, crashed into a densely populated residential area just minutes after takeoff, killing 241 people on board and 38 on the ground. Only one passenger survived.

The sheer scale of the devastation has reignited public outrage and raised old, haunting questions; Was it a sudden technical failure or human error? Or is there a deeper, systemic rot in the aviation safety net?

While the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is yet to release its final report, preliminary signals hint at a technical fault. Experts from the US and UK have joined the investigation, with the recovered black box offering critical data. But this tragedy is not an isolated incident. Rather, it joins a grim chronicle of deadly air crashes over the past five decades – each one a brutal reminder that the skies have not always been safe.

Here is a look back at some of the darkest air disasters involving Air India and its subsidiaries, each peeling back the layers of misjudgment, mechanical failure, and institutional apathy:

1. Ahmedabad | June 12, 2025: Crash Into Medical Building, 279 Dead

Flight AI-171 had barely lifted off before it plunged into a crowded neighbourhood. The crash not only incinerated all but one passenger but also claimed dozens of lives on the ground. Investigations are ongoing, but early signs point to possible technical malfunction.

2. Kozhikode | August 7, 2020: Runway Overrun, 21 Dead

Air India Express Flight IX-1344 from Dubai skidded off a tabletop runway during heavy rains. The aircraft broke into four pieces. Investigators later confirmed the pilot attempted landing multiple times despite poor visibility. The third attempt ended in catastrophe.

3. Mangalore | May 22, 2010: Overshot Runway, 158 Dead

Flight IX-812 from Dubai failed to stop on Mangalore’s precarious tabletop runway. Investigators revealed the captain ignored repeated warnings from the co-pilot to abort the landing. Fatigue and misjudgment were central to the disaster.

4. Patna | July 17, 2000: Crash Into A Slum, 60 Dead

Alliance Air Flight 7412 stalled midair during landing and crashed into a residential colony. The pilot had taken an incorrect approach. Investigators blamed poor training and the dangerous proximity of dense population zones near the airport.

5. Aurangabad | April 26, 1993: Collision With Truck On Runway, 55 Dead

Indian Airlines Flight 491 hit a truck that was inexplicably on the runway during takeoff. The fatal lapse in ground traffic management shocked aviation regulators. This incident spotlighted the chaos that can exist beyond the cockpit.

6. Imphal | August 16, 1991: Crash During Descent, 69 Dead

Indian Airlines Flight 257 crashed into a hill as it prepared to land. The pilot had miscalculated altitude in poor visibility. A tragic case of overconfidence and flawed judgment.

7. Bangalore | February 14, 1990: Premature Landing, 92 Dead

Flight 605, an Airbus A320, hit the ground short of the runway while approaching HAL Airport. The cause was alleged unfamiliarity with the cockpit layout of the newly inducted Airbus, leading to a botched landing.

8. Ahmedabad | October 19, 1988: Descent Into Trees, 133 Dead

Indian Airlines Flight 113 collided with trees during its final approach in low visibility. Pilot miscalculation, along with failure of the air traffic control to provide accurate weather updates, sealed the fate of almost everyone onboard.

9. Mumbai | June 21, 1982: Crash During Storm, 17 Dead

Flight 403 crashed while landing during a monsoon deluge at Sahar Airport. Pilots struggled with visibility, and the aircraft veered off the runway.

10. Mumbai | January 1, 1978: Into The Arabian Sea, 213 Dead

Flight 855, a Boeing 747, nosedived into the sea shortly after takeoff. Investigators said the captain was misled by faulty instruments and became spatially disoriented. It remains one of the worst aviation disasters in history.

11. Mumbai | October 12, 1976: Engine Fire Mid-Air, 95 Dead

Indian Airlines Flight 171 was engulfed in flames shortly after takeoff. The fire started due to a malfunction in the fuel system and rapidly spread, leaving no survivors.

12. Delhi | May 31, 1973: Crash into Power Lines, 48 Dead

Flight 440 crashed into electrical wires near Palam Airport. Pilots made a risky approach during a thunderstorm and visibility was near zero. Another case of poor weather judgment and lack of updated landing protocols.

13. Meghamalai | December 9, 1971: Crash Into Hills, 31 Dead

An Indian Airlines Avro HS-748 failed to navigate through dense fog and crashed into the mountains of Meghamalai. Navigational missteps in treacherous weather proved fatal.

From cockpit miscalculations to poorly managed runways and inadequate infrastructure, the thread running through all these tragedies is disturbingly consistent. Each plane crash has brought with it a fresh wave of grief, investigations, and promises of reform; yet fundamental flaws persist.

What makes the June 2025 Ahmedabad plane crash particularly painful is not just the scale of loss, but the deja vu of it all.

Courtesy: News 18