158 Reported Dead In Landing Accident

The NTSB has dispatched a team of investigators to assist the government of India with its investigation of yesterday's airplane accident in Mangalore.

At about 6:10 a.m. local time, Saturday, an Air India Express B737-800 (VT-AXV), overran the runway during landing at Mangalore International Airport. Preliminary reports indicate that 158 of the 166 passengers and crew onboard were fatally injured. Flight #182 originated in Dubai. 

NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman has designated Senior Air Safety Investigator Joe Sedor as the U.S. Accredited Representative. The U.S. team will also include an NTSB flight operations specialist, an NTSB aircraft systems specialist, and technical advisors from the Federal Aviation Administration and Boeing.  The team is expected to arrive in Mangalore on Tuesday morning (local time).

The investigation is being conducted by India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation, which will release all information on the progress of the investigation.    

News reports indicate that one survivor of the accident reported that there was 'a loud bang,' and then the plane caught fire. Another said the airplane split in two, and he was able to jump out of the wreckage before an explosion set off a much larger fire.

The pilot was reportedly a British citizen with over 10,000 hours, which included 26 landings at the Bajpe Airport about 19 miles from Mangalore. The Indian  co-pilot reportedly had 66 landings there amongst his 3,750 hours.

The runway, which sits on top of a mesa and has a steep drop into a valley, is 8,000 feet long, and has a spillover area of about 300 feet constructed of sand designed to stop or slow a plane which overshoots the runway.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov