The recent crash in Ahmedabad — where an Air India flight reportedly veered off the runway — has renewed scrutiny on aviation protocols and regulatory enforcement in India
India’s last three major commercial air disasters — in Patna (2000), Mangaluru (2010), and Kozhikode (2020) — have highlighted enduring shortcomings in aviation safety, with investigators and experts calling for urgent reforms as the country reels from another crash in Ahmedabad this week.
The three incidents, separated by years but strikingly similar in cause, show a pattern of operational failures, inadequate training, and systemic lapses in aviation infrastructure. The latest tragedy involving an Air India aircraft in Ahmedabad has once again raised questions over India’s flight safety standards, prompting comparisons with past disasters.
A history of overlooked lessons
In July 2000, Alliance Air Flight CD-7412 crashed in Patna, killing 60 people. A court of inquiry blamed the disaster on pilot error, citing poor decision-making after a sudden loss in airspeed and an unstable approach. The cockpit crew’s failure to respond effectively to the emergency underscored deficiencies in training and judgement.
A decade later, in May 2010, an Air India Express flight crashed while landing in Mangaluru, overshooting the table-top runway. Investigators found that the flight crew ignored warnings and continued with an unstabilised approach in low visibility, resulting in the deaths of 158 people. Again, pilot error, lack of assertiveness among junior crew members, and poor cockpit coordination were identified as key factors.
Then in August 2020, another Air India Express flight crashed in Kozhikode after overshooting the runway during heavy rainfall. The flight fell into a gorge, killing 21. Investigators found that the pilots had attempted a landing despite challenging conditions, while the airport’s infrastructure — including the lack of a standard runway end safety area — contributed to the crash.
All three cases involved poor adherence to standard operating procedures (SOPs), limited situational awareness, and a failure to execute timely go-arounds.
Renewed urgency after Ahmedabad crash
The recent crash in Ahmedabad — where an Air India flight reportedly veered off the runway — has renewed scrutiny on aviation protocols and regulatory enforcement in India. While no fatalities were reported, the incident has prompted calls for stronger implementation of safety procedures.
Experts stress that the core lessons from previous crashes have still not been fully institutionalised across the civil aviation ecosystem.
“Unstabilised approaches, failure to abort landings in time, and weak cockpit communication continue to pose serious risks,” said a former DGCA official, speaking on condition of anonymity. “Each accident is a reminder that regulations are only as effective as their execution.”
Aviation safety analysts also pointed to India’s rising air traffic and expanding fleet as reasons to strengthen oversight. They say infrastructure at many regional airports remains sub-par, with limited Instrument Landing System (ILS) coverage, inadequate runway safety areas, and poor weather monitoring facilities.
A call for institutional change
While the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has launched routine audits after each crash, long-term policy reforms have been slow. Investigations have often led to short-term fixes but not the systemic overhaul that experts argue is necessary.
“India needs continuous safety audits, a more empowered regulator, and mandatory simulator-based training for pilots on handling critical situations,” said aviation consultant Mohan Ranganathan.
Some positive steps have been taken — including improved pilot training modules, stricter crew rest guidelines, and closer monitoring of runway conditions. But experts warn that these must translate into tangible improvements across airlines and airports, especially as India emerges as one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation markets.
Unless systemic gaps are closed, they say, the country risks repeating past mistakes — with potentially deadlier consequences.
