Indian Airlines Flight 491

Indian Airlines Flight 491 was a scheduled domestic passenger flight from Aurangabad to Mumbai, operated by India's Flag carrier Indian Airlines. On 26 April 1993, the aircraft operating the flight, a Boeing 737-200 with a registration of VT-ECQ crashed shortly after take-off following the aircraft's impact with a Truck and a high tension power line. The crash killed 55 people and injured 63 others.

A formal investigation was launched by Ministry of Civil Aviation (India). The final report concluded that the crash was caused by the captain's false perception on take-off technique which ultimately led to the aircraft's impact with a lorry at the end of the runway. Subsequently, the report also blamed authorities for not regulating public vehicles near the airport's vicinity.

Accident

Flight 491 was a domestic passenger flight from Aurangabad, a major town in Maharashtra known for its temples, and Mumbai, the economic centre of India. The flight had originated from the nation's capital of New Delhi. The crew was consisted of Captain Singh (38) and First Officer Mohan (30).

At Aurangabad, 18 passengers disembarked and 51 passengers boarded the aircraft, raising the total number of passengers to 112. The aircraft was refueled and the crew asked for start up clearance. Aurangabad controller cleared the crew to use Runway 09 for take-off. The aircraft taxied onto the apron and turned towards the beginning of the runway. The crew then initiated the take-off roll.

The aircraft didn't lift off until near the end of the 6,000 ft runway at around 13:00 local time. A lorry carrying loads of cotton bales was being driven at a road near the runway end and the aircraft's left main landing gear and left engine collided with the lorry. The impact severed both the left main landing gear and the left engine's thrust reverser. The truck's cotton bales were strewn across a nearby field due to the collision. As the aircraft lifted off from the runway, the severed left landing gear and thrust reverser detached and collided with parts of the leading edge of the left horizontal stabilizer and left elevator, damaging both structures. Approximately 98 in of the outer portion of the aircraft's left horizontal stabilizer then detached, followed by a 115 in left elevator surface. The impact with the truck and the separation of the left thrust reverser caused the left engine to rotate at a low RPM.

Banking to the left, the aircraft then flew onto a set of three high tension electric wires, about 3 km from the airport, and snapped all three wires. 500 m from its collision with the wires, the aircraft descended and struck two babool trees. The impact uprooted both trees and severed the left flaps and engine. It then slammed onto the ground with its left engine first. It continued to slide and hit another babool tree with its right wing. The collision split the fuselage into two and the aircraft burst into flames.

As the fuselage split into two sections right at the aft of the 19th cabin window, the back portion became inverted. The fire immediately reached the rear galley and rear lavatory due to the forward motion of the fuselage. The interior was completely consumed by fire. The rear fuselage then rested with its right side. Meanwhile, the front portion continued to slide for another 190 meters before it finally stopped. The flight crew evacuated through the cockpit window while the cabin crew and the passengers evacuated through the left main forward entry door. The remaining front portion was later consumed by the ensuing fire.

The crash killed 53 passengers and 2 cabin crew. A total of 11 passengers were seriously wounded and 8 others received minor injuries. The other 44 people were unharmed in the crash. A total of 63 people, including Captain Singh, First Officer Mohan, and flight attendants Nim and Anita Dabas, had survived the crash. Those who were stationed at the rear part of the aircraft, Raman Yadav and Vivek, were killed. All except one passenger on the rear fuselage had perished.