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Accident description
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Status:
Date:14 JUN 1972
Type:Douglas DC-8-53
Operator:Japan Air Lines - JAL
Registration: JA8012
C/n / msn: 45680/213
First flight: 1964
Engines: 4 Pratt & Whitney JT3D-
Crew:Fatalities: 10 / Occupants: 11
Passengers:Fatalities: 72 / Occupants: 76
Total:Fatalities: 82 / Occupants: 87
Ground casualties:Fatalities: 3
Airplane damage: Written off
Airplane fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location:ca 20 km E of Delhi-Palam Airport (DEL) (India) show on map
Phase: Approach (APR)
Nature:International Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport:Bangkok-Don Muang International Airport (BKK/VTBD), Thailand
Destination airport:Delhi-Palam Airport (DEL/VIDP), India
Flightnumber: 471
Narrative:
The DC-8 took off from Bangkok at 11:21 UTC. Clearance for a straight-in ILS approach to Delhi runway 28 was given at 14:43 UTC. Shortly after reporting 23DME, the aircraft struck the banks of River Yamuna.

PROBABLE CAUSE: Japanese investigators claimed a false glide path signal to be responsible for the descent into terrain. Indian investigators say the accident was caused by a total disregard of laid down procedures by the crew and abandoning all instrument indications without properly ensuring sighting of the runway.

Events:

Sources:
Sample newspaper article from Newspaperarchive.com

Statistics
30th loss of a DC-8
6th worst accident involving a DC-8 (at the time)
11th worst accident involving a DC-8 (currently)
3rd worst accident in India (at the time)
8th worst accident in India (currently)

» figures explained

Photos
photo of McDonnell Douglas DC-8-53 JA8012
 

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 Delhi-Palam Airport (DEL/VIDP) as the crow flies is 2894 km (1809 miles).

This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.

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