When a Plane Hit a Cotton Truck: 55 Killed by Seven Years' Neglect Titelbild

When a Plane Hit a Cotton Truck: 55 Killed by Seven Years' Neglect

When a Plane Hit a Cotton Truck: 55 Killed by Seven Years' Neglect

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When a Plane Hit a Cotton Truck: 55 Killed by Seven Years' Neglect

A routine takeoff turned into a catastrophe when a Boeing 737 struck a cotton-laden truck crossing an aerodrome boundary with a missing gate - the collision killed 55 people in seconds and the unsafe condition had existed for seven years. How did cockpit technique, three conflicting weight figures, and a removed gate combine to make this disaster possible?

In this episode, you will hear the facts about the flight, the airport, the crew, and the road that crossed the runway perimeter - and follow the central question: which of these failures caused the crash and how were they allowed to persist?

Event: Indian Airlines Flight IC 149 collision on 26 April 1993
Aircraft: Boeing 737, registration VT-EAH, 43,887 flight hours, 18 years in service
People: 141 on board including crew; 55 fatalities from the collision
Crew: Captain Satendra Kumar Singh, 51 years old, >15,000 flight hours; First Officer S.K. Mohan, 38 years old
Airport: Aurangabad Airport; gate removed in 1986 leaving road crossing aerodrome perimeter for 7 years

- The collision occurred on 26 April 1993 at Aurangabad Airport when a rolling Boeing 737 struck a truck loaded with cotton bales on a road crossing the aerodrome boundary.
- Fifty-five people were killed as a result of the impact that happened during takeoff seconds after the aircraft began its roll.
- First Officer S.K. Mohan later estimated the aircraft was overloaded by approximately 4.5 metric tons at departure.
- Investigators' independent calculation found the aircraft was overweight by approximately 118 kilograms when it left the gate.
- The aerodrome gate at the road crossing had been removed in 1986 and was not replaced for seven years, allowing vehicles to cross close to the runway.

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