Accident description
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| Status: | Final |
| Date: | 07 JUL 1962 |
| Time: | ca 18:40 UTC |
| Type: | Douglas DC-8-43 |
| Operator: | Alitalia |
| Registration: | I-DIWD |
| C/n / msn: | 45631/160 |
| First flight: | 1962 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 964 |
| Engines: | 4 Rolls Royce 508-12 Conway |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 9 / Occupants: 9 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 85 / Occupants: 85 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 94 / Occupants: 94 |
| Airplane damage: | Written off |
| Airplane fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | 11 km (6.9 mls) NW of Junnar (India)
 |
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | International Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Bangkok-Don Muang International Airport (BKK/VTBD), Thailand |
| Bombay-Santacruz Airport (BOM/VABB), India | |
| Flightnumber: | 771 |
Flight AZ771 was a scheduled flight between Sydney and Rome via Darwin, Singapore, Bangkok, Bombay, Karachi and Tehran. it departed Bangkok for Bombay at 15:16 UTC. At 18:20 the crew contacted Bombay Approach and received clearance to descend from FL350 to FL200. Five minutes later further clearance was give to 4000 feet. In preparation for a runway 27 approach the crew reported that they would make a 360 degrees turn over the Outer Marker. Last radio contact was at 18:39. The DC-8 had descended below minimum safe altitude and struck the Davandyachi hill at an elevation of approximately 3600 ft amsl.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The accident was attributed to a navigation error which led the pilot to believe that he was nearer his destination than he actually was and, therefore, caused him to make a premature descent in instrument conditions for a straight-in approach to land at night. The aircraft consequently, crashed into high terrain. Contributing causes were: 1) Failure on the part of the pilot to make use of the navigational facilities available in order to ascertain the correct position of the aircraft.
2) Infringement of the prescribed minimum safe altitude. 3) Unfamiliarity of the pilot with the terrain on the route." Events:
Sources:
» ICAO Accident Digest No.14 Volume II, Circular 71-AN/63 (83-97)
Sample newspaper article from Newspaperarchive.com
Statistics
5th loss of a DC-8
The worst accident involving a DC-8 (at the time)
9th worst accident involving a DC-8 (currently)
The worst accident in India (at the time)
6th worst accident in India (currently) » figures explained
The worst accident involving a DC-8 (at the time)
9th worst accident involving a DC-8 (currently)
The worst accident in India (at the time)
6th worst accident in India (currently) » figures explained
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Bangkok-Don Muang International Airport (BKK/VTBD) to Bombay-Santacruz Airport (BOM/VABB) as the crow flies is 2992 km (1870 miles).
Distance from Bangkok-Don Muang International Airport (BKK/VTBD) to Bombay-Santacruz Airport (BOM/VABB) as the crow flies is 2992 km (1870 miles).
