Mangalore Crash: Pilot Was Asleep before Crash: Black Box Data


Pilot Error Led to Air India Express Crash: DGCA, Boeing Tell CoI

New Delhi, Sep 8 (DHNS): Nearly four months after an Air India Express Boeing aircraft crashed during landing at Mangalore airport killing 158 people on board, flight details contained in the black box have revealed that the pilot-in-command was asleep for an hour and 50 minutes when the plane cruised towards its destination.

 An analysis of the cockpit voice recorder (CVR)— which contains conversation between two pilots, radio communication between the cockpit crew and others (including conversation with air traffic control personnel) and Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR)— was presented before the Court of Inquiry (CoI) headed by Air Marshal (Retd) B N Gokhale here on Wednesday.

The Directorate-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), which presented the details to the CoI, had sent the CVR and the DFDR to the United States for data retrieval since they were heavily damaged, though the memory chips remained intact. In the CoI, officials from Boeing, the manufacturer of the aircraft, and GE, which was involved in decoding the black box, presented their findings.

Only excerpts of the black box data were released on Wednesday and a detailed report will be submitted to the Centre along with the CoI findings by the end of this month.

The startling details culled from the CVR and the DFDR have now established that pilot error, compounded by others factors like sleeping, caused the crash.

Fingerpointing

The cockpit transcripts and coded DFDR information were released to silence persistent speculation that reasons other than pilot error might have contributed to the doom of the aircraft and the 152 passengers and six crew members.

The analysis of the CVR revealed that there was sound nasal snoring and heavy breathing for nearly two hours, indicating that one of the two pilots—in all likelihood Serbian national Captain Zslatko Glucika, 55—had fallen asleep on his seat on the 200-minute flight of IX-812 that originated in Dubai (local time 1:10 am) on May 22.

What corroborates pilot error as the principal reason behind the crash is the long silence in the cockpit—for as long as 110 minutes—indicating that Glucika, who was believed to have about 2,000 flying hours’ experience, had dozed off ahead of landing. Captain H S Ahluwalia, 40, from Mumbai, was the co-pilot of the ill-fated aircraft.

When it was time for flight IX-812 to land, it was too late. The black box details have established that the aircraft started descent for landing when it was flying at an altitude of 4,400 feet against the normal height of 2,000 feet. Besides, the flight touched down at the 4,638 feet mark on the middle of Mangalore’s table-top runway which has a maximum length of 8,038 feet. According to civil aviation regulations, normal touch-down mark for passenger aircraft is 1,000 feet.

This strongly indicates that Glucika not only reacted late and overshot the runway, but certain standard operating procedures were not followed during landing.

Deccan Herald reported on August 19 the pilots’ last-minute conversation in which Capt Ahluwalia desperately cautioned Glucika to abort landing and “go around”, meaning that the pilot should not attempt a landing and instead try to fly without touching down. The co-pilot is heard on the audio telling Glucika “we don’t have enought runway left”. Capt Ahluwalia’s last word to his commanding pilot was “control” and then the aircraft fell on to a steep slope before exploding into a ball of fire.

According to the decoded information from the black box, the aircraft was not on its glide path while landing. As suspected earlier, the Boeing 737-800 aircraft was flying at an unsually high speed of 139 knots during landing. In the course of the inquiry and inspection of the aircraft’s remains it was found that the plane’s landing gear was found in the takeoff position, suggesting that the pilot tried a “go around.”

“Despite the high speed and landing in the middle of the runway, had the pilot tried to stop the aircraft instead of taking off after making touch down, it would have stopped at least at the end of the run way averting the disaster,” a Boeing official said. In support of the evidence that the pilot tried a “go around,” the DFDR shows that Glucika activated the takeoff gear and that the engine was in powered to high speed. “During normal touch down the engine speed is always low”, the official said.

“The main reason for the accident was that the pilot(s) tried to take off when just 800 feet of the runway was left. It was a wrong judgment while attempting a takeoff,” he said.

The decoding of the black box also shows that the GPS (ground proximity warning system) precision approach and landing system of the aircraft had given several warnings indicating that it was taking a wrong glide path. The CVR records show that both pilots had discussed that the aircraft was following a wrong glide path.

Early on May 22, the weather was fine for landing and visibility 6 km. The runway was dry and clearance had been given for landing under the Instrument Landing System. According to Boeing, the runway length for a 737-800 type aircraft during landing should be 7,500 feet.

Excerpts of pilots’ conversation

As soon as Pilot Captain Z Glucika got clearance of the ATC, he started descending for landing.
Co-Pilot: (Captain H S Ahluwalia): O My God.  
Both pilots: Flight is taking wrong path and wrong side.
Co-pilot: Go around
Though flight is still descending and it tried to touch down in middle of the run way, the co-pilot insists on ‘go around’.
Co-pilot: Pull up. (Repeats six times)
Captain: Only 800 metres left. (in runway) (It was suspected that this time may be the aircraft was trying to take off and pilot found that only 800 feet of run way left)
(These conversation took place within eight seconds)

  

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Comment on this article

  • Joyveer, dubai

    Fri, Jan 14 2011

    the report is just cover up , and as usual Air India blames pilots for the error - becoz pilots are not living , no body can question , its that simple.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [2] Reply Report Abuse

  • John Philip Pereira, Mumbai /Mangalore

    Thu, Sep 16 2010

    Mr. Joe put yourself in Mr. Patels shoes and let us know what will you decide.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [2] Reply Report Abuse

  • MAKMON, Mangalore

    Wed, Sep 15 2010

    ALTHOUGH AIR INDIA(KILLER AIRLINES)HAS BRUTALLY MURDERED ALL THE PASSENGERS THRU ITS DRUNKEN DRIVER(PILOT), SOME SENSELESS, UNHUMAN CHELAS/CHAMCHAS OF AIR INDIA, e.g.KT,Mr.Nanavathi,etc, WHO DO NOT HAVE ANY CONCERN OR SO WITH THE INNOCENT PASSENGERS WHO LOST THEIR LIFE & ALSO WITH THE RELATIVES OF THE DECEASED PASSENGERS.

    GOD FORBID, IF THE SAME FATE HAPPENS TO THESE CHELAS AND TO THEIR LOVED ONES/RELATIVES, WHAT WILL BE THEIR STYLE OF BEHAVIOUR OR EXPRESSION? WE HAVE LOST LOT OF OUR NEAR & LOVED ONES. BUT NOTHING CAN COMPENSATE THEM. IT IS UTTERLY DUE TO THE GROSS NEGLIGENCE OF THE AIR INDIA & ITS DRUNKEN/WRECKLESS/CARELESS DRIVER(PILOT) WHICH PROVED BEYOND DOUBT.
    NOW IN THE NAME OF COMPENSATION SOME OF THE ABOVE MENTIONED CHAMCHAS WRITE THEIR COMMENTS, AS IF THEY ARE THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO EXPECT TO LIVE LIFE WITHOUT ANY ACCIDENT OF THESE SORT OR SO. HENCE, DEAR READERS PLEASE DON'T GET MISLEAD OR CARRIED AWAY BYANY OPINIONS OR STATEMENT OF THESE SORT OF ILLETERATES. END OF THE DAY IT IS AIR INDIA, IS SOLELY RESPONSIBLE TO PAY THE COMPENSATION TO THE MAXIMUM AND FULLEST EXTENT TO THE IMMEDIATE RELATIVES/KITH & KINS OF THE DECEASED PASSENGERS WITHOUT ANY SORT OF HUE AND CRY OR ANY DRAMA, AS IF THEY ARE THE AUTHORITY WITHOUT ANY QUESTION?

    NO BODY CAN GET AWAY SUCH EASILY AS LAW WILL NOT SPARE THEM? LET THE VALUE OF ALL HUMAN LIFE BE WELL REGARDED AND RESPECTED, AS WE ALL COME FROM THE ALMIGHTY CREATOR AND TO WHO WE RETURN ONE OR THE OTHER DAY & LET HIM BLESS ALL WITH HIS MERCY

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  • Muse, Dubai

    Wed, Sep 15 2010

    Yes, Mr. Joe Devdath, please enlighten us on how the resignation of a minister would help us at this time? It would be more appropriate to actually step up to the plate and do something about the situation than to be a coward and to back out.

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  • Louis D'Souza, Udupi/Kuwait

    Tue, Sep 14 2010

    I will not blame the Pilot. Despite of all this, I will travel by Air India Express during X'Mas. What has to happen will happen, Its God's wish, nobody can help it. The Pilot should be given enough time to rest. Three days after the accident my wife was travelling to India from Kuwait by Air India Express, the cancelled, delayed flight left on the third day in the morning, but the Pilot refused to take the aircraft up to Mangalore because he had not slept since many hours.

    Ultimately the flight was taken to Abu Dhabi, and from there another Pilot took the flight to Mangalore. I did not fight with Manager because the Pilot was totally exhausted. Many a time we lose patience for nothing. Delayed flight is better than a losing life.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [3] Reply Report Abuse

  • joe devdath, mangalore

    Tue, Sep 14 2010

    FIRST OF ALL WE HAVE A MINISTER WHO WAS SELLING BIDI LEAVES AND BEING A CHAMCHA OF PAWAR BECAME MINISTER

    WE HIRE FOREIGN PILOTS WHO ARE NOT TESTED PROPERLY IN INDIAN CONDITION AND JUST BECAUSE THEY ARE WHITE SKIN WE FORGET TO CHECK THEIR PROFICIENCY

    WE HAVE A PRIME MINISTER WHO IS SPINELESS AND DOESNT MAKE THE MINISTER AND THE CONCERNED PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE. PRAFUL PATEL IS MAKING MONEY BY HIRING FOREIGN PILOTS, HELPING THE PRIVATE AIRLINES

    IF HE HAD A OUNCE OF SELF RESPECT HE WOULD HAVBE RESIGNED - NOT OFFER TO RESIGN - BECAUSE AFTER 6 YEARS THIS GOOD FOR NOTHING CHAMCHA HAS NOTHING TO SHOW IN IMPROVEMENT OF AIR INDIA

    ATLEAST LALLU PRASAD AND KSRTC HAVE DONE A BETTER JOB

    BUT PATEL W AS BUSY GETTING A SECRETARY JOB FOR HIS DAUGHTER WITH MODI'S IPL COUCH SO WHAT YOU ACCEPT

    DisAgree [1] Agree [2] Reply Report Abuse

  • KT, Mangalore

    Tue, Sep 14 2010

    I do not understand why people blame AI brand for the incident. Who runs it Indian we Indians need to be blamed. Indians don’t work as efficient as Indians work abroad. For example if Indians works in AI as a cleaner he wont work from his heart that’s why you se e sometimes left over when you board the plane. Same guy if works abroad as same position he will make sure nothing left out that’s why you see others are much cleaner so who to blame? In spite of accident you can see still people are talking on the mobile while landing and while takeoff till last moment. There are many people say now we wont travel AI, Remember if there any emergency in your country where you live then it’s AI who is going to come for rescue. Don’t you board the flight then?

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  • camil dsouza, udyavara udupi

    Mon, Sep 13 2010

    Its a great shock to hear that the pilot of ill fated air india express ! if he was sleeping what about the co pilot? he was sleeping too ! i dont understand why air india express is hiring negligent and foreign pilots just to save some money ? there are so many of our indian pilots are waiting for the jobs why theyre hiring foreign pilots ? and killing innocent people?

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  • Walter Lobo, Bajpe/BOSTON USA

    Mon, Sep 13 2010

    We request Indian General Aviation Director to order all Air-Idia Express planes to install cockpit camera with a two way micrphone so that passenger can wake up the pilot in case if he or she sleeps and snores, since the cockpit doors are locked. This would be great idea.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [2] Reply Report Abuse

  • Roshan Braganza, udyavara

    Mon, Sep 13 2010

    @ rahman , we r realy sorry for the extent of damage to ur life from this tragedy . May God give u strength to bear it. @thread , i think its just a crap , they r diverting from main issue. Air india and runaway responsible for this tragedy.

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  • Francis, Moodbidri -Taccode

    Mon, Sep 13 2010

    It is very difficult to believe that pilot-in-command was asleep for an hour and 50 minutes.Truth may be different.Why co-pilot not talked even a single word about the sleeping of pilot-in command throughout the journey ?Please take out the truth.

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  • vittal shetty, sharjah/mangalore

    Mon, Sep 13 2010

    what a shame, what a shame, we feel shame to hear the fact.Friends before getting into the board pl. confirm pilots are awake and say hi to them.

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  • Hemanth, Mangalore

    Mon, Sep 13 2010

    Many of us know that Mr. Balakrishna Shetty, Yellur/Dubai is spearheading protest against Industrialization which are destroying bio-diversity of twin districts. It is indeed a noble cause. However, presence of Nagarjuna or emission through its chimney cannot divert a plane from its gliding path, even if the flying path may have been altered. Flying path and gliding path are two different and independent issues. Gliding path is the path in which a plane descend to the runway. In a country, there will be several no-fly zones. Planes flying above such no-fly zones will detour or go around them this cannot obstruct the gliding path. Linking emission from Nagarjuna to the disaster is just like diverting the topic. And also emission from chimney can not force a plane to touch down 1000 ft ahead of its original mark.

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  • Harold D'cunha, Mangalore, India

    Sun, Sep 12 2010

    Balakrishna Shetty, Yellur/Dubai
    is 100% right.
    Pilot error is diverting people's mind from the main issue. "There is diversion of the normal flying route due to the new Nagarjuna Power Plant chimney of 900ft height on the flight path at only 18km aerial distance to the north. Cimney fumes 270 tons of pollution a day with over 130 d.c. temp at 94 km speed at the chimeny height. The unknown new diversion kept the pilots at more height than usual and the confusion began with that.". Unfortunately this reality and truth no govt. machinery accetpt it. what was the co pilot was doing and if the pilot and co pilot cannot work as team, why the AI management played with the lives of the passengers?.

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  • Moorthy, Mangalore/ Dubai

    Sun, Sep 12 2010

    Yes Mr. Wilson is absolutely right, instead of blaming the airport and runway airlines should review the pilots mental status. This is obvious in the dipression people never think about themselves. And defenitely they will not knowing what they are doing.

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  • ABI, USA

    Sat, Sep 11 2010

    IM SORRY TO HEAR THIS BROTHER,I REALLY DONT KNOW WHAT TO SAY..

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Dolphy, Abu Dhabi/Mangalore

    Sat, Sep 11 2010

    The whole incident shows utter carelessness of Pilots, they took it for granted that they have experience and nothing will happen, or the mental condition of the pilot was not stable on that day or he wanted to commit suicide killing others, God alone knows the truth.

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  • collin, mangalore/dubai

    Sat, Sep 11 2010

    it was a very terrible incident that happened but the way the air india express manage things there is always a possibility that it can happen again .the slogan for air india express should be we relax at work because thats what the pilot did and on normal flights thats what the cabin crew do. the motto of air india express is to serve the passenger if the cabin crew is in the mood .if any one wants to know what a cabin crew dose should not do then fly air india express cos the cabin crew never do what they should .and thier comanders set examples by sleeping in the cockpit

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  • santosh, mangalore

    Sat, Sep 11 2010

    dear all, there is no point in blaming pilot what ever happened is the past we have to think about how to prevent such incidents in future,accidents happened because of pilot mistake i agree but we have saved more lives if run way is made in international standards.now we have to think how to expand runways from all four corners

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  • Wilson Dsouza, Paladka

    Fri, Sep 10 2010

    Instead of depending alone on the experience of the pilot, it is better to assess from time to time, his mental health like whether he has any problems with his wife or girlfriend or with his family. Sometimes these factors hide the experience of the pilot, he will be under stress or depression and never care for his life. Then how can we think that he will care for others' lives?

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  • Mohan H Naik, Mangaluru

    Fri, Sep 10 2010

    Mr.Balakrishna Shetty's comments seems to have some substance and truth. Now the authorities need to the truth that convince all AIE frequent users, and once again we shall take up this flight/route with confidence and peace of mind.

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  • Rajagopala, Mangalore

    Fri, Sep 10 2010

    Dear Media Friends,
    Now it is your time to think twice before write something or say on live programmes.
    The Indian media was blaming on the table top runway at mangalore is the reason for the accident & you had spoiled the image of our airport . Hence forth , make sure you are also a resposible citizen of the country and report accordingly rather looking at your media ranking. During my recent flight from Mangalore to Dubai, the Cheif of COI , him self was in the cockpit , can any one conduct an enquery on this ? As per the rules no one can enter the cockpit except the pilots . Media persons are you reading ? If so start media enquery on this.

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  • A.R.Ibrahim, Mangalore

    Fri, Sep 10 2010

    So pilots job is to sleep while plane is switched auto pilot mode. This job sounds easy all we have to do is sleeep and let everyone sleep not to wake up? AI please wake up, and advise your pilots wake up. Please stop serving liquor to pilots on duty

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  • Greesh Kumar, Mumbai/Bangalore

    Thu, Sep 09 2010

    God know's what is the Truth....coz reading the news for all these months and days i feel that responsible people are trying to escape from their responsiblities and their faults. One thing i can agree that the flight which is been used by Air India express is really very bad only the day Margret Alwa flew in i was on the flight was good, So AI i should improve themself in every expects.

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  • Balakrishna Shetty, Yellur/Dubai

    Thu, Sep 09 2010

    In Dubai, Gulf News today reported on the front page that the flgitht was on the wrong path. This vindicates our argument that the pilot was asked to take the new sea route to avoid the heated emission from Nagarjuna Power Plant chimney. The loss of 158 lives in the air crash is the result of the confusion created due to the diversion of route.

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  • Prakash, mlore

    Thu, Sep 09 2010

    Thank u daiji for covering this news.Iam bit suprised if the conclusion for the crash is pilot error(Sleeping) though commander was a sleep the co-pilotwas awake,and the commander was awake during landing (Though its forbidden to sleep during the short haul flights).one of the key questions is.1)Why did the aircraft took a wrong glide path,when the controls are automated & sofesticated?2)What made such an experienced pilots to go around at the very last min?this desition only may have aggrivated the crash force???3)boeing says the runway length for a 737-800 type aircraft during landing should be 7,500 feet.where as according to civil aviation regulations, normal touch-down mark for passenger aircraft is 1,000 feet.now if maximum runway available in mangalore is 8038 feet, where is remaining runway length considerig the civil aviation regulation of normal touch dwn mark of 1000ft? Shouldnt the safe runway lenght be around approx 8500ft?(i.e 462 feet less)Mr.shetty(yellur/Dubai)has raised a very imp point can daiji bring more light on it,though am not so conviced coz nagarjuna is way off the flight path of DXB-IXE,(may influence mumbai routes),also there are many captive power plants & chimenys directly below the fly path(may be KIOCL&MCF&MRPL etc)considering these this may not be a factor.

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  • A.RAHMAN, MANGALORE

    Thu, Sep 09 2010

    Dear all, negligence of AIR INDIA pilot(Killer Airline)taken the life of my beloved wife and everloving son.My family life totally smashed by AIR INIDIA(Killer Airline).For me nothing remained no EID no FEAST.Advising respected Indian citizen not to fly with AIR INIDIA anymore. After the Mangalore crash more than seven incidents already observed.Hence abstain from Air India there is no respect/value to passengers.

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  • A.RAHMAN, MANGALORE

    Thu, Sep 09 2010

    Dear all, negligence of AIR INDIA pilot(Killer Airline)taken the life of my beloved wife and everloving son.My family life totally smashed by AIR INIDIA(Killer Airline).For me nothing remained no EID no FEAST.Advising respected Indian citizen not to fly with AIR INIDIA anymore. After the Mangalore crash more than seven incidents already observed.Hence abstain from Air India there is no respect/value to passengers.

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  • Yathish Kumar, Attavar/Dubai

    Thu, Sep 09 2010

    Comments of Mr.Balakrishna Shetty is quite intresting,but we have to find the truth,if NAGARJUNA POWER PLANT is also a reason then it should be seriously dealt with

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  • nagraj, Udupi/Bailakere

    Thu, Sep 09 2010

    Definetely i will not agree this reason or cause because , Air indian express is very small flight and both the pilots can see each other very clearly and how come the main pilot was asleep? u r telling voice recorder is giving the sounds of snoring and long breath , then now u tel me wat about co -pilot was doing at that time ? he shuld know the distance, time of landing and all, the y he did not woke him up?it means he was also asleep rite ? or civil aviation dept telling lies and thre must be some secret cause for the accident . Any way i request all the mangalorenas or those who r traveliing by this flight please dont travel by this flight. please travel via bangalore, or mumbai so that u can save ur life and u will be the supporter of ur family for ever.

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  • Rony, Dubai./ Mangalore

    Thu, Sep 09 2010

    There should be new system required to introduce, because of these pilots. There were no information can find what height the flight is flying, how many hours & what time left over to reach the destination. All their activities to observe by the passengers at least they can awake them & save every one’s life.

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  • samad, MNG/DXB

    Thu, Sep 09 2010

    Media should investigate the issue raised by Balakrishna Shetty, Yellur/Dubai if its truth, we all need to stop flying from now onwards,,

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  • ashok pai, bangalore

    Thu, Sep 09 2010

    our lax attitude, specifically the "chalta hai" attitude, towards everything and eveywhere has found us at similar circumstances a lot of times. it is very sad when so many innocent people had to pay for by pilot error. pilots sleeping on the plane is fundamentally wrong.

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  • SHALINE, mangalore

    Thu, Sep 09 2010

    how pilot can sleep when he has done the landing , it may be wrong co -piolt was giving the instruction , how come pilot is sleeping , it is wrong is it possible with sleep he is landing the flight or he drunk who knows its happenes with stress, or mental conflict , must check pilots mental stability before they join during recruitment , any way happened is happened

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  • hassan, udupi/dubai

    Thu, Sep 09 2010

    Very good comment Mr.Rao Udupi/Duabi. Thanks for puting my words

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  • A.S.Mathew, U.S.A.

    Thu, Sep 09 2010

    In long haul flights, after engaging the autopilot, sometimes
    both the pilot and co-pilot may
    go to sleep. But the pilot
    sleeping in a short haul pilot
    was a terrible and irresponsible act.

    about 90% of the crashed are due to the pilot's error, and unfortuntely, the same thing was
    repeated in Mangalore which took
    many innocent lives.

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  • stalin MISQUITH, MANGALORE/BAHRAIN

    Thu, Sep 09 2010

    ANYWAY PILOT CAN NOT COME BACK TO DEFEND HIMSELF,MAY HIS SOUL REST IN PEACE AMEN.

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  • Afra , jeddah

    Thu, Sep 09 2010

    A plain Crashed. killed 158 people. what a serious matter.im afraid of flying in plane.

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  • Ilyas, Mangalore

    Thu, Sep 09 2010

    Dope testing is required for the budget airlines pilots before entering to the cockpit. If the result is postive cancel their licence.

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  • Glenn Vaz, Dubai / Thottam

    Thu, Sep 09 2010

    This guy is dead he cant defend himself....Considering the stress upon the pilots all along, weather conditions, working in diffrent time zones, run way design and many more things, blaming the pilot alone is not fair. Its high time the authorities also take responsibilities.

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  • Abdul Malik, KSA/Mangalore

    Thu, Sep 09 2010

    It is usual practice that pilots changing Aircraft to Autopilot mode and take rest for one or two hours, it seems they are bit late to retrieve.

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  • Lawrence D'Souza, Kalmady

    Thu, Sep 09 2010

    I dont think the captain of the aircraft was asleep before prior to touch down point but he overshot the runway by some meters which the captain of the aircraft thought that he will be able to contol the aircraft this made the whole mess up

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  • shammi, Karnataka

    Thu, Sep 09 2010

    O MY GOD!!! I HEARD "CURIOSITY KILLED 3 CATS,BUT SLEEP KILLING 158 LIVES..."Cant digest this.Y not,it was 1.10 am dxb time n he is 53yr old so obviously snoring is justified while sleeping n moreover he is a human being not any nocturnal OWL,but he killed 158 ppl without sword ,guns or bombings,in his sleep....very very bad.
    NOW IS THERE ANY WAY TO PROHIBIT THE PILOTS FROM SLEEPING,I REQUEST ALL THE AIRLINES PLZ RUSH TO "IT" DEPT,COZ THIS CAN HAPPEN GOD FORBID IN OTHER PLANES ALSO BE IT FIVE STAR OR BUSINESS CLASS OR CHARTERD as pilot is human being and not any robot.So new electronic device something like alarm system can help out.or wen der is half an hour or 45 mins before landing der should be automatic "WAKE UP" call in the cockpit which is computerised so tht pilot wont snooze n sleep again.Once again my heartfelt condolence to the beareaved ones who lost their loved ones in the crash.

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  • Maxim, Mangalore

    Thu, Sep 09 2010

    This has to be looked quite seriously. There has to be a enquiry on the schedule of those two pilots for the previous day.

    They must given enough rest and should be best of the health before flying.

    Were they orver scheduled or he was not resting.

    It should be a very important lesson for all the authorities in the Avaition. See that Pilots are not lagging any sleep before entering the cockpit.

    After all one sleepless day would risk 100s of lives.

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  • Suraj, Mangalore - Abu Dhabi

    Thu, Sep 09 2010

    What lessons would be implemented at the Bajpe airport to avoid any future accidents? - The Answere is SHIFT THE AIRPORT

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  • stephen, dubai

    Thu, Sep 09 2010

    Why we need a Court of Inquiry to interpret Boeing voice recorder input?

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  • Rao, Udupi/Dubai

    Thu, Sep 09 2010

    Some information is disclosed now and more details of truth we hope would come out. let us hope for that. At this juncture, i want to share and point out what i observed during my recent travel in AI express to Mangalore,
    1. The seat cushions were in bad conditions such that wooden part of the back rest was visible.
    2. AC was not working properly during the initial part of the journey and many passengers complained about it.
    3. there were some adhesive taped afixed on the windows, dont know for what? Presuming to patch some cracks?

    The above shows on what level the aircraft is maintained by AI express. Enjoying the monopoly route the AI express authority charges more than the budget airline rates but provides poor service and puts passengers life at risk. Seeing this i strongly advocate passengers to take bangalore route to mangalore( maybe kingfisher) which costs the same except a few extra hours of time but atleast with some safety ensured. then only we can teach a lesson to AI express authority.

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  • Jaimini P.B., Manipal,Sharjah

    Wed, Sep 08 2010

    Pilot was asleep before crash ! It is not a surprise at all. I think couple of years back domestic flight whcih was to land in Mumbai,flew to Goa becuase both Chief and Co-Pilot were sleeping !

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  • Jayaprakash Rao, Mangalore

    Wed, Sep 08 2010

    With all due respect to the Pilots & the Industry, I remember the time during 2001 when Indian Airlines was into Sharjah operations from India, the pilots used to get pissed drunk at the clubs in Dubai, yes they did tell about the "no- alcohol" policy 24 hours before the flying.
    Wish they had a breath analyzer before flying.
    IX with imported pilots…the westerners are heavy drinker in the name of Wine & Champagne. Nothing would bring back the lives lost but has definitely brought a fear to fly into Mangalore airport.

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  • Suresh, Mangalore

    Wed, Sep 08 2010

    If pilots are going to make mistake again in the future this type of disaster is going to happen again especially in Mangalore because of Table Top runway. In spite of having several objection from the public Civil Aviation has approved this Airport as Int. Airport. Why we didn’t have better place to construct new Int. airport in Mangalore, again corruption plays the game.

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  • Dave, Mangalore

    Wed, Sep 08 2010

    It seems on the fateful day all the factors were acting in favour of disaster with all the unfortunate lives except 8 were getting to their predistined end. I might sound fatelistic. But going through all the details make me think that way-all the factors were conspiring to take their lives in the end.
    I pray to the almighty to prevent as many human made disasters as possible in future.

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  • Antony Herbert Crasta, Mangalore/Sydney,Australia

    Wed, Sep 08 2010

    What a confused, chaotic and tragic situation which is very unfortunate indeed, and after assessing the conversation that took place between the two Pilots, it is very difficult to squarely put the blame on one or the other. Perhaps, if only one Pilot was in charge, the catastrophe could have been avoided, but who knows. One thing is sure though, there are quite a few lessons to be learned for the other Pilots from this accident, and hopefully, such tragedies will not recur.

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  • Ashfaq Boloor, Jeddah, Mangalore

    Wed, Sep 08 2010

    Is this AirIndia pilot or truck driver sleeping in the cockpit while flying? now who will take the responsible of those 152 innocent passengers died in the crash. May be these low paid foreign drivers(pilot) are careless and they behind on trip money thats why they fly restless instead they take one peg alcohol to fly another destintion to take the risk of next flights passenger and this is the reason now a days aircraft disaster always in the news. I put blame on managment of budget airlines they dont hire experience Indian pilots becasue they demand handsome salary. May God give them good guidance to avoid such accident in the future.

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  • Balakrishna Shetty, Yellur/Dubai

    Wed, Sep 08 2010

    This is not the complete truth. If Glucika was snoring so loud that it is recorded in the box why co pilot not heard it. There is diversion of the normal flying route due to the new Nagarjuna Power Plant chimney of 900ft height on the flight path at only 18km aerial distance to the north. Cimney fumes 270 tons of pollution a day with over 130 d.c. temp at 94 km speed at the chimeny height. The unknown new diversion kept the pilots at more height than usual and the confusion began with that. Even the visibilithy through the flue flux could be bad and get distorted. AAI irresponsibly gave clearance to this chimney apparently after somebody got his palm greased at a cost of 158 lives. Come out with the complete truth please half truth is as good as lie.

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  • KT, Mangalore

    Wed, Sep 08 2010

    It's all over can investigation bring those lives back? can the pilot be punished ruthlessly for his error? it's all over...just the subject and see what best you can avoid such situations in the future...dont waste the money

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  • S.M. Nawaz Kukkikatte, udupi

    Wed, Sep 08 2010

    "Pilot Was Asleep!!!!!!!" Silly matter, but plain Crashed. killed 158 people. what a tragedy.

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  • Francis Martis, Barkur/USA

    Wed, Sep 08 2010

    From the first day, my comments were same, there was no mistake about it.
    The faulty landing in the middle of runway, pilot found it short to land safe, instead his last seconds judgement went wrong. Pilot should have listened to Co-Pilot.

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  • Wilson Dsouza, Paladka

    Wed, Sep 08 2010

    This is nothing but a case of absolute over-confidence of the pilot. He might have told the co-pilot, 'Look, how I will land the plane and you learn from me'. Foreign pilots should not be deputed in risky airports like Mangalore as they are not much aware of the topograhy compared to their Indian counterparts. Why can't we call 'Terrorism by the pilot?'

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  • Henrik, Europe

    Wed, Sep 08 2010

    Well, I doubt the B737-800 itself could be blamed for this accident. In the past there was problems with stuck valves (in the rudder) on the 737-200/300, but in the later models of 737, Boeing added more valves. Even there was 2 deadly accident, which had their rudder stuck, Boeing never acknowledged their constuction failure and since they added more valves, there has been no stuck rudder accidents. It still puzzles me, how Boeing could get away with that.

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  • Nelson Dsouza, Karkala/Riyadh

    Wed, Sep 08 2010

    It was so unfortunate incident.."Seems the pilot is done in by overconfidance and forgot that it is Mangalore airport which has a shorter runway and he cant take a risk..Anyway this is a postmortem report only and cant bring back the precious live's who died in this mishap. This is a lesson for all the pilots and ground supporting staff that they cant be "relax " on the job at all. Let us hope aircraft mgt and DGCA will take some corrective actions soon.

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  • Rolson, Planet Earth

    Wed, Sep 08 2010

    In this Era, Man has placed himself in the hands of Modernization so Helplessly that-
    One's Error can cause death and distruction of millions, But again "Show must go on" ... Peace to all!

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  • Langoolacharya, Belman/USA

    Wed, Sep 08 2010

    Why we need a Court of Inquiry to interpret Boing voice recorder input?

    Ghokhaleji give a copy of CVR transcript to Praful Patelji, and close the Inquiry....

    Give a copy to all AI Pilots and Co-Pilots and wanna be Pilots, so they will not make same mistake, due to lack of sleep , alcohol or whatever....

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  • Walter , Bajpe/Boston,USA

    Wed, Sep 08 2010

    Of course, we all knew that was the pilot error that perished the 158 souls question is why there were no strict procedural controls required to be followed by the pilot, when the landing was off more than 3 degrees off course (when 3 degrees is the threshold)? During the day-time on a table top runaway, short of international standard, why such pilot should have been on the controls of 158 souls? Is there a mechanism to weed out unworthy pilots from flying these airworthy equipment? General Civil Aviation Directorate must mandate mental fatigue-type examination of pilots to follow "situational awareness" in the cockpit to take prompt corrective actions or compensatory measures when the plane is off course. (The pilot after flying through the night may not been alert enough to promptly recognize the impending danger.) And those who do not follow the requirements shall not be at the helm of the equipment guiding souls. What lessons would be implemented at the Bajpe airport to avoid any future accidents? Is it possible to implement any warning signals in the cockpit when the plane is off-course?

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Title: Mangalore Crash: Pilot Was Asleep before Crash: Black Box Data



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