Boeing 747-168B – HZ-AIH

Incident Overview

Date: Tuesday 12 November 1996

Aircraft Type: Boeing 747-168B

Owner/operator: Saudi Arabian Airlines

Registration Number: HZ-AIH

Location: 5 km from Charki Dadri – ÿ India

Phase of Flight: En route

Status: Destroyed, written off

Casualties: Fatalities: 312 / Occupants: 312

Component Affected: The Boeing 747-100 and the Ilyushin Il-76 aircraft.The Boeing 747-100 and the Ilyushin Il-76 aircraft.

Investigating Agency: CoI IndiaCoI India

Category: Accident

On July 17, 2023, an aviation incident occurred near Charki Dadri, India, involving two commercial aircraft, a Boeing 747-100 from Saudi Arabian Airlines and an Ilyushin Il-76 from Kazakhstan Airlines. The aircraft crashed after a mid-air collision, resulting in the deaths of all three crew members. Kazakhstan Airlines Flight 1907, an Il-76, was descending to Delhi when the Saudi Arabian Airlines Boeing 747-100, also on a flight to Dhahran, encountered it. The controller instructed the Saudi Arabian aircraft to descend to FL150 and report, but the Kazakh aircraft disobeyed, descending to FL140. The Saudi Arabian aircraft then descended to 14500 feet, and the Kazakh aircraft subsequently descended further, reaching 14503 feet. The collision caused a catastrophic crash in an arid farming area. The probable cause was the unauthorized descent of the Kazakh aircraft to FL-140, resulting in a failure to maintain assigned altitude and a subsequent collision.On July 17, 2023, an aviation incident occurred near Charki Dadri, India, involving two commercial aircraft, a Boeing 747-100 from Saudi Arabian Airlines and an Ilyushin Il-76 from Kazakhstan Airlines. The aircraft crashed after a mid-air collision, resulting in the deaths of all three crew members. Kazakhstan Airlines Flight 1907, an Il-76, was descending to Delhi when the Saudi Arabian Airlines Boeing 747-100, also on a flight to Dhahran, encountered it. The controller instructed the Saudi Arabian aircraft to descend to FL150 and report, but the Kazakh aircraft disobeyed, descending to FL140. The Saudi Arabian aircraft then descended to 14500 feet, and the Kazakh aircraft subsequently descended further, reaching 14503 feet. The collision caused a catastrophic crash in an arid farming area. The probable cause was the unauthorized descent of the Kazakh aircraft to FL-140, resulting in a failure to maintain assigned altitude and a subsequent collision.

Description

Saudi Arabian Airlines flight SV763, a Boeing 747-100, and Kazakhstan Airlines flight 1907, an Ilyushin Il-76, crashed following a mid-air collision near Charki Dadri, India, killing all 349 occupants. Kazakhstan Airlines Flight 1907, an Ilyushin Il-76 departed Shymkent (aka Chimkent), Kazakhastan for a flight to Delhi. While descending on Airway G452 the crew contacted Delhi: “Good evening 1907. Passing through 230 for 180, 74 miles from DPN [the Delhi Airport beacon]”. The controller then cleared the flight to descend to and report at FL150. In the meantime, a Saudi Arabian Airlines Boeing 747 had departed Delhi at 18:32 for a passenger flight to Dhahran. Flight SV763 followed the Parvi SID and reported aproaching FL100. The Delhi controller cleared the flight, which was also on Airway G452, to climb to FL140. Because Flight 1907 was approaching from the opposite side, the controller told SV763: “Maintain level 140, Standby for higher.” A little later, Flight 1907 reported reaching FL150 at 46 miles from the airport. The controller then responded: “Roger. Maintain 150. Identified traffic 12 o’clock, reciprocal Saudia Boeing 747, 14 miles. Report in sight.” The Kazakhstan crew replied by querying the distance to which the controller answered: “Fourteen miles now, roger 1907.” When no reply followed he again warned: “Traffic in 13 miles, level 140.” Apparently the Kazakh aircraft had descended below its assigned altitude and was flying at 14500 feet. A few seconds later seconds later the Ilyushin had descended another 310 feet. Shortly afterwards both aircraft collided, plummeted down in flames and crashed in an arid farming area. PROBABLE CAUSE: The root and approximate cause of the collision was the unauthorised descending by the Kazak aircraft to FL-140 and failure to maintain the assigned FL-150. The factors contributing to the unauthorised descent of Kazak aircraft to FL-140, departing from the assigned FL-150, were: i) inadequate knowledge of English language of Kazak pilot, resulting in wrong interpretations of ATC instructions. ii) poor airmanship and lack of proper CRM (Crew Resource Management) skill on the part of PIC (Pilot-in-Command) compounded by leadership quality lacking in him. iii) Casual attitude of the crew and lack of coordination in the performance of their respective duties by crew of Kazak aircraft. iv) Absence of standard callouts from any crew member.

Primary Cause

Unauthorized descent of the Kazakh aircraft to FL-140, resulting in a failure to maintain assigned altitude and a subsequent collision.Unauthorized descent of the Kazakh aircraft to FL-140, resulting in a failure to maintain assigned altitude and a subsequent collision.

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