05-23-2010, 01:57 AM
[url="http://www.dailypioneer.com/257527/Probe-ordered-into-air-crash-Patel.html"] link[/url]
Quote:The Air India Express flight 812 flying in from Dubai crashed early Saturday while landing at Mangalore's "table top" airport surrounded by deep gorges. It erupted in flames when it overshot the runway and plunged down a cliff.
The plane had 166 passengers, including 19 children, four infants and six crew members.
Patel said that the Mangalore airport has a limited spill-over area after the short runway.
"Because the spill-over area was limited, it (the aircraft) went off a cliff," he said.
"The plane went into the spill-over area, hit the localiser, a wing broke there and the aircraft plunged into the valley 200-300 metre deep," he said, adding that the plane did not catch fire immediately.
The minister said the length of the runway had been increased from 6,000 feet to 8,000 feet to factor in landing of bigger aircraft.
He said the aircraft black box, which recordS flight information, would be recovered as the entire wreckage had been found.
Patel also brushed aside suggestions that airport safety norms were defied.
Quote:Patel added that since India is a signatory to the 1999 Montreal convention, the families of those who had died would be paid up to $160,000. The injured would also be given suitable compensation and their treatment would be paid for by the airline.