Indian Airlines Flight 440: Difference between revisions

Created by Arjun Madathiparambil Muraleedharan
Last edited March 22, 2026
>Arjun Madathiparambil Muraleedharan
 
m Content improved for clarity and flow
Line 3: Line 3:
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2014}}
{{Infobox aircraft occurrence
{{Infobox aircraft occurrence
|name             = Indian Airlines Flight 440
| name           = Indian Airlines Flight 440
| image = Indian Airlines Boeing 737-2A8; VT-EGE, December 1998 BUI (5404996252).jpg
| image           = Indian Airlines Boeing 737-2A8; VT-EGE, December 1998 BUI (5404996252).jpg
| image_upright =  
| image_upright   =  
|alt             =  
| alt             =  
| caption = An Indian Airlines Boeing 737-200, similar to the one involved in the crash
| caption         = An Indian Airlines Boeing 737-200, similar to the one involved in the crash
|occurrence_type = Accident
| occurrence_type = Accident
| date = {{start date|1973|5|31|df=y}}
| date           = {{start date|1973|5|31|df=y}}
|site             = New Delhi, India
| site           = New Delhi, India
|coordinates     =  
| coordinates     = <!--These 17 entries for single-aircraft occurrence:------>
<!--These 17 entries for single-aircraft occurrence:------>
| aircraft_type   = [[Boeing 737-200|Boeing 737-2A8]]
|aircraft_type   = [[Boeing 737-200|Boeing 737-2A8]]
| aircraft_name   = ''Saranga''
|aircraft_name   = ''Saranga''
| operator       = [[Indian Airlines]]
|operator         = [[Indian Airlines]]
| plane1_IATA    = IC440
|tail_number     = VT-EAM
| plane1_ICAO    = IAC440
|origin           = [[Chennai International Airport|Madras Airport]], [[Chennai]], Tamil Nadu, India
| plane1_callsign = INDAIR 440
|stopover         =  
| tail_number     = VT-EAM
|stopover0       =  
| origin         = [[Chennai International Airport|Madras Airport]], [[Chennai]], Tamil Nadu, India
|stopover1       =  
| stopover       =  
|stopover2       =  
| stopover0       =  
|stopover3       =  
| stopover1       =  
|last_stopover   =  
| stopover2       =  
|destination     = [[Palam International Airport]], New Delhi, India
| stopover3       =  
|passengers       = 58
| last_stopover   =  
|crew             = 7
| destination     = [[Indira Gandhi International Airport|Palam International Airport]], New Delhi, India
|fatalities       = 48
| occupants      = 65
|injuries         =  
| passengers     = 58
| missing =  
| crew           = 7
|survivors       = 17
| fatalities     = 48
|type            = [[Controlled flight into terrain]]
| injuries       = 17 (10 serious, 7 minor)
| missing         =  
| survivors       = 17
| summary        = [[Controlled flight into terrain]]
}}
}}


'''Indian Airlines Flight 440''' was a flight on 31 May 1973 that crashed while on approach to [[Palam Airport]] killing 48 of the 65 passengers and crew on board.
'''Indian Airlines Flight 440''' was a flight on 31 May 1973 that crashed while on approach to [[Palam Airport]] (now [[Indira Gandhi International Airport]]) killing 48 of the 65 passengers and crew on board.


==Accident==
==Accident==
Flight 440 was a scheduled domestic passenger flight from [[Madras]] (now Chennai), [[Tamil Nadu]] to New Delhi. A Boeing 737 named ''Saranga'' was used for the flight. As Flight 440 approached [[Palam International Airport]] in driving dust and a rainstorm, the aircraft struck high tension wires during a [[Non-directional beacon|NDB approach]] with visibility below minimal. The aircraft crashed and caught fire.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19730531-0|title=ASN Aircraft accident Boeing 737-2A8 VT-EAM Delhi-Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL )|website=[[Aviation Safety Network]] |publisher=[[Flight Safety Foundation]] |access-date=2016-05-31}}</ref> 48 of the 65 passengers and crew on board Flight 440 perished in the accident.<ref>"[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_pszAAAAIBAJ&sjid=zTIHAAAAIBAJ&pg=5529,2776816&dq=new+delhi+indian+airlines+crash&hl=en Airline crash in New Delhi]." ''[[United Press International]]'' (UPI) at ''[[Lodi News-Sentinel]]''. Friday 1 June 1973. p. 8 ([[Google News]] p. 5/16), Retrieved on 28 October 2014.</ref> Rescue officials said the survivors were in the front of the aircraft,<ref name=Crashprobed>"[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lqFYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=jvgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7336,354712&dq=new+delhi+indian+airlines+crash+rescue+officials&hl=en Indian crash site probed by crews]." ''[[Associated Press]]'' (AP) at the ''[[Spokane Daily Chronicle]]''. Friday 1 June 1973. p. 11. Retrieved from [[Google News]] (63/72) on 28 November 2014.</ref> although one survivor reported sitting in the back row.<ref>{{cite web|title=What not to do in a disaster|url=http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20170711-what-not-to-do-in-a-disaster|date=12 July 2017|first=Zaria|last=Gorvett|publisher=BBC|access-date=4 October 2018}}</ref>
Flight 440 was a scheduled domestic passenger flight from [[Madras]] (now Chennai), [[Tamil Nadu]] to New Delhi. A Boeing 737 named ''Saranga'' was used for the flight. As Flight 440 approached [[Palam International Airport]] in driving dust and a rainstorm, the aircraft struck high tension wires during a [[Non-directional beacon|NDB approach]] with visibility below minimal. The aircraft crashed and caught fire.&lt;ref&gt;{{Cite web|url=https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19730531-0|title=ASN Aircraft accident Boeing 737-2A8 VT-EAM Delhi-Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL )|website=Aviation Safety Network|publisher=[[Flight Safety Foundation]] |access-date=2016-05-31}}&lt;/ref&gt; 48 of the 65 passengers and crew on board Flight 440 perished in the accident.&lt;ref&gt;{{Cite news |date=1 June 1973 |title=Airline crash in New Delhi |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_pszAAAAIBAJ&amp;sjid=zTIHAAAAIBAJ&amp;pg=5529,2776816&amp;dq=new+delhi+indian+airlines+crash&amp;hl=en |access-date=28 October 2014 |work=[[Lodi News-Sentinel]] |page=8 |via=[[Google News]] |agency=[[United Press International]]}}&lt;/ref&gt; Rescue officials said the survivors were in the front of the aircraft,&lt;ref name="Crashprobed"&gt;{{Cite news |date=1 June 1973 |title=Indian crash site probed by crews |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lqFYAAAAIBAJ&amp;sjid=jvgDAAAAIBAJ&amp;pg=7336,354712&amp;dq=new+delhi+indian+airlines+crash+rescue+officials&amp;hl=en |access-date=28 November 2014 |work=[[Spokane Daily Chronicle]] |page=11 |via=[[Google News]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}&lt;/ref&gt; although one survivor reported sitting in the back row.&lt;ref&gt;{{cite news |last=Gorvett |first=Zaria |date=12 July 2017 |title=What not to do in a disaster |url=http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20170711-what-not-to-do-in-a-disaster |access-date=4 October 2018 |work=BBC News}}&lt;/ref&gt;


The survivors included three Americans and two Japanese. The dead included four Americans, three people from the United Kingdom, and one woman from Yemen.<ref name=Crashprobed/> Among the dead was Indian Minister of Iron and Steel Mines, [[Mohan Kumaramangalam]], [[Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha]] and [[Communist Party of India]] politician [[K. Baladhandayutham]] and former [[Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha]] and [[Indian National Congress]] politician [[Devaki Gopidas|Devaki Gopidas]].
The survivors included three Americans and two Japanese. The dead included four Americans, three Britons, and one woman from Yemen. Notable survivors included [[Bhan Singh Bhaura]] Member Parliament and [[V. K. Madhavan Kutty]], an eminent journalist and writer. &lt;ref name=Crashprobed/&gt; Among the dead was Indian Minister of Iron and Steel Mines, [[Mohan Kumaramangalam]], [[Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha]] and [[Communist Party of India]] politician [[K. Baladhandayutham]] and former [[Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha]] and [[Indian National Congress]] politician [[Devaki Gopidas]] and Indian businessmen Mallikarjun Reddy Kakani and Raghunatha Reddy Kakani.


==Cause==
==Cause==
Investigators determined the Indian Airlines Flight 440 crash was caused by the crew descending below the minimum decision height.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.airdisaster.com/cgi-bin/view_details.cgi?date=05311973&reg=VT-EAM&airline=Indian+Airlines|title=AirDisaster.Com Accident Database|website=www.airdisaster.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150321184908/http://www.airdisaster.com/cgi-bin/view_details.cgi?date=05311973&reg=VT-EAM&airline=Indian+Airlines|archive-date=2015-03-21|url-status=unfit|access-date=2016-05-30}}</ref>
Investigators determined the Indian Airlines Flight 440 crash was caused by the crew descending below the minimum decision height.&lt;ref&gt;{{Cite web|url=http://www.airdisaster.com/cgi-bin/view_details.cgi?date=05311973&amp;reg=VT-EAM&amp;airline=Indian+Airlines|title=AirDisaster.Com Accident Database|website=www.airdisaster.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150321184908/http://www.airdisaster.com/cgi-bin/view_details.cgi?date=05311973&amp;reg=VT-EAM&amp;airline=Indian+Airlines|archive-date=2015-03-21|url-status=usurped|access-date=2016-05-30}}&lt;/ref&gt;


==See also==
==See also==
*[[Japan Airlines Flight 471]], another aviation disaster that took place at Palam International Airport less than a year prior to Indian Airlines Flight 440.
*[[Japan Air Lines Flight 471]], another aviation disaster that took place at Palam International Airport less than a year prior to Indian Airlines Flight 440.


==References==
==References==
Line 51: Line 54:


==External links==
==External links==
*[http://www.planecrashinfo.com/1973/1973-25.htm Indian Airlines Flight 440 at Planecrashinfo.com]
*[https://www.planecrashinfo.com/1973/1973-25.htm Indian Airlines Flight 440 at Planecrashinfo.com]
 
{{Aviation accidents and incidents in 1973}}
{{Aviation accidents and incidents in 1973}}
 
{{Aviation accidents and incidents in India}}
 
{{Air India}}
[[Category:1973 in India]]
[[Category:1973 in India]]
[[Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in 1973]]
[[Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in 1973]]
Line 61: Line 63:
[[Category:Airliner accidents and incidents caused by weather]]
[[Category:Airliner accidents and incidents caused by weather]]
[[Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in India]]
[[Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in India]]
[[Category:Accidents and incidents involving the Boeing 737 Original]]
[[Category:Aviation accidents and incidents involving the Boeing 737 Original]]
[[Category:Indian (airline) accidents and incidents|440]]
[[Category:Indian (airline) accidents and incidents|440]]
[[Category:May 1973 events in Asia]]
[[Category:May 1973 in Asia]]

Revision as of 04:01, 20 February 2026


Indian Airlines Flight 440
An Indian Airlines Boeing 737-200, similar to the one involved in the crash
Accident
Date31 May 1973 (1973-05-31)
SummaryControlled flight into terrain
SiteNew Delhi, India
<!--These 17 entries for single-aircraft occurrence:------>
Aircraft
Aircraft typeBoeing 737-2A8
Aircraft nameSaranga
OperatorIndian Airlines
IATA flight No.IC440
ICAO flight No.IAC440
Call signINDAIR 440
RegistrationVT-EAM
Flight originMadras Airport, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
DestinationPalam International Airport, New Delhi, India
Occupants65
Passengers58
Crew7
Fatalities48
Injuries17 (10 serious, 7 minor)
Survivors17

Indian Airlines Flight 440 was a flight on 31 May 1973 that crashed while on approach to Palam Airport (now Indira Gandhi International Airport) killing 48 of the 65 passengers and crew on board.

Accident

Flight 440 was a scheduled domestic passenger flight from Madras (now Chennai), Tamil Nadu to New Delhi. A Boeing 737 named Saranga was used for the flight. As Flight 440 approached Palam International Airport in driving dust and a rainstorm, the aircraft struck high tension wires during a NDB approach with visibility below minimal. The aircraft crashed and caught fire.<ref>"ASN Aircraft accident Boeing 737-2A8 VT-EAM Delhi-Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL )". Aviation Safety Network. Flight Safety Foundation. Retrieved 31 May 2016.</ref> 48 of the 65 passengers and crew on board Flight 440 perished in the accident.<ref>"Airline crash in New Delhi". Lodi News-Sentinel. United Press International. 1 June 1973. p. 8. Retrieved 28 October 2014 – via Google News.</ref> Rescue officials said the survivors were in the front of the aircraft,<ref name="Crashprobed">"Indian crash site probed by crews". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Associated Press. 1 June 1973. p. 11. Retrieved 28 November 2014 – via Google News.</ref> although one survivor reported sitting in the back row.<ref>Gorvett, Zaria (12 July 2017). "What not to do in a disaster". BBC News. Retrieved 4 October 2018.</ref>

The survivors included three Americans and two Japanese. The dead included four Americans, three Britons, and one woman from Yemen. Notable survivors included Bhan Singh Bhaura Member Parliament and V. K. Madhavan Kutty, an eminent journalist and writer. <ref name=Crashprobed/> Among the dead was Indian Minister of Iron and Steel Mines, Mohan Kumaramangalam, Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha and Communist Party of India politician K. Baladhandayutham and former Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha and Indian National Congress politician Devaki Gopidas and Indian businessmen Mallikarjun Reddy Kakani and Raghunatha Reddy Kakani.

Cause

Investigators determined the Indian Airlines Flight 440 crash was caused by the crew descending below the minimum decision height.<ref>"AirDisaster.Com Accident Database". www.airdisaster.com. Archived from the original on 21 March 2015. Retrieved 30 May 2016.</ref>

See also

  • Japan Air Lines Flight 471, another aviation disaster that took place at Palam International Airport less than a year prior to Indian Airlines Flight 440.

References

External links

Template:Aviation accidents and incidents in 1973 Template:Aviation accidents and incidents in India