Kozhikode airport crash: AAIB report pinpoints what went wrong | 10 points

The plane crash at the Kozhikode airport in August last year, in which 21 people died, occurred due to pilot error but systemic error cannot be ruled out, stated the probe report released by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau on Saturday. “The probable cause of the accident was the non-adherence to SOP by PF, wherein, he continued an unstabilised approach and landed beyond the touchdown zone, half way down the runway, in spite of ‘Go Around’ call by PM which warranted ‘Go Around’ and the failure of the PM to take over controls and execute a ‘Go Around’,” the crash report stated. NO DIVERSIONS Alternate airfields most suited for ‘diversions’ in case of a second missed approach under the prevailing weather conditions and unserviceable windshield wiper were not covered during the briefing. APPROACH WITH FAULTY WIPER During the approach on runway 28 into Kozhikode, the windshield wiper on the PIC side worked for 27 sec and then stopped. NO RISK ASSESSMENT The PIC took a decision not to divert after the ‘missed approach’ on runway 28 even though there were alternate airfields available in close proximity and there was enough fuel on board.