New Delhi, Aug 13 (IANS): The Centre on Thursday constituted a committee to investigate the fatal accident involving an Air India Express aircraft at the Kozhikode airport on last Friday.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) will probe and determine the probable cause and contributory factors leading to the accident, which left 18 persons dead.

On Thursday, the AAIB appointed Captain S.S. Chahar as the investigator-in-charge to probe the mishap.

In an order, the AAIB said that Chahar will be assisted by Ved Prakash, Operations Expert, Mukul Bhardwaj, Senior Aircraft Maintenance Engineer-B737, Capt Y.S. Dahiya, Aviation Medicine Expert, and Jasbir Singh Larhga, Deputy Director, AAIB.

"The investigator-in-charge may take the assistance of experts or agencies wherever required. The headquarters of the investigation will be at New Delhi. The investigator-in-charge will complete the inquiry and submit the report to AA1B, preferably within five months from the date of issuance of this order," the AAIB said.

Last Friday, a Boeing 737-800 Air India Express aircraft on its return from Dubai met with a fatal accident after skidding off the runway while landing at the 'table top' Kozhikode airport.