Air India Express Flight 1344: The Kozhikode Crash Full Breakdown

On August 7, 2020, Air India Express Flight 1344 overshot the runway at Kozhikode International Airport in Kerala, India, during landing in heavy monsoon conditions. The Boeing 737-800, operating a repatriation flight from Dubai under India’s Vande Bharat Mission, crashed on the table-top runway, resulting in 21 fatalities and injuring over 100 of the 169 people on board.

The aircraft, registered as VT-AXH, was attempting its third landing approach when it touched down approximately 1,000 meters past the runway threshold. It subsequently skidded off the runway end, plunged down a steep embankment, and broke into three pieces. The 257-page final investigation report released by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau in September 2021 identified pilot non-adherence to standard operating procedures as the probable cause of the accident.

What Happened in the Air India Crash?

Key Findings at a Glance

• Pilot decision to continue landing despite heavy rain on a table-top runway proved fatal
• COVID-19 repatriation flight carried 184 passengers and 12 crew members from Dubai
• The official investigation attributed the crash primarily to pilot error
• The accident triggered comprehensive safety audits at similar Indian airports
• Both pilots were among the 21 people who lost their lives in the crash

Flight Details

What Caused the Air India Express Kozhikode Crash?

Official Investigation Findings

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau’s final report, published on September 11, 2021, identified the probable cause as the Pilot Flying’s failure to adhere to standard operating procedures. According to the Times of India reporting, the commander continued an unstabilized approach despite carrying excessive speed, an abnormal descent rate, and deviation from the flight path.

During the second landing attempt, the Pilot Monitoring (the First Officer) called for a mandatory go-around, but the commander elected to continue toward the runway. The first officer did not take control as protocol would have required. This breakdown in cockpit communication and crew resource management formed the core of the probable cause determination.

Contributing Systemic Factors

Beyond individual pilot actions, the AAIB investigation uncovered systemic failures within Air India Express that created conditions conducive to the accident. These included documented poor safety culture, human resources policies that placed commercial pressure on flight crews, and repeated similar incidents that had not been adequately addressed by management.

The report specifically noted that the commander faced pressure to complete the landing because another captain was unavailable for the following day’s scheduled flight to Doha. This scheduling pressure, combined with the commander’s overconfidence—stemming from his prior successful landings at Kozhikode in adverse weather—created a dangerous combination of factors that overcame appropriate caution.

Role of Weather Conditions

The weather on the evening of August 7, 2020, presented significant challenges. Heavy monsoon rain, strong winds, and tailwind conditions affected all three landing approaches. The preliminary weather data confirmed that these conditions contributed to the difficulty of the approach but were not determined to be the primary cause of the accident.

How Many People Died in the Air India Crash?

The crash resulted in 21 fatalities: 19 passengers and both pilots. According to data compiled from aviation-safety.net, most of the passenger fatalities occurred in the rear section of the aircraft, where the impact forces were most severe following the structural break.

Of the 190 people aboard (184 passengers and 6 crew), 169 survived the initial impact. More than 100 of these survivors sustained injuries ranging from minor to severe. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and subsequent break-up.

Distribution of Casualties

What Is the Latest on the Air India Crash Investigation?

Official Report Release

The final AAIB report was released on September 11, 2021, more than 13 months after the accident occurred. The full report PDF detailed findings that extended beyond individual pilot error to address broader concerns about aviation safety culture in India.

The investigation emphasized that cockpit resource management failures and communication breakdowns between the commander and first officer were central to the accident sequence. The AAIB noted that such errors reflected routine mistakes emerging from a flawed safety culture across the aviation sector, not isolated individual failures.

Compensation Status

Available sources do not detail specific compensation amounts or distribution processes. The AAIB report focused exclusively on determining causes and contributing factors rather than financial matters. No updates regarding compensation settlements or legal proceedings have appeared in the reviewed sources.

Who Were the Pilots in the Air India Express Crash?

Commander (Pilot Flying)

The commander served as the Pilot Flying during the accident sequence. The investigation characterized this individual as experienced but overly complacent, particularly regarding landings at Kozhikode in poor weather. Prior successful approaches at the challenging table-top airport appears to have bred overconfidence in his ability to handle adverse conditions.

The AAIB investigation also noted that the commander may have experienced subtle cognitive effects from unprescribed anti-diabetic medications, though this remained a contributing consideration rather than a confirmed causal factor.

First Officer (Pilot Monitoring)

The First Officer served as the Pilot Monitoring during the approach. Despite correctly identifying an unstable approach during the second landing attempt and calling for a mandatory go-around, this pilot failed to take control of the aircraft when the commander ignored the call. The investigation highlighted this failure to exercise proper authority as a significant breakdown in cockpit resource management.

Kozhikode Airport Runway

The Kozhikode International Airport runway presents distinctive challenges due to its table-top configuration. The runway sits elevated above the surrounding terrain, with a steep drop-off at the runway end and no adequate overrun safety area. The runway measures 2,860 meters in length, and the aircraft touched down approximately 1,000 meters past the threshold, leaving insufficient distance to stop before reaching the drop-off.

Timeline of the Air India Express Flight 1344 Crash

The following chronological sequence reconstructs the final hours of Air India Express Flight 1344 based on investigation findings:

1. 15:30 IST – Flight departs Dubai International Airport bound for Kozhikode under the Vande Bharat Mission repatriation program
2. 19:38 IST – First approach attempt to runway 28 abandoned due to heavy rain and strong winds
3. 19:40 IST – Second approach initiated; Pilot Monitoring calls “Go Around” but Pilot Flying continues
4. 19:41 IST – Third approach to runway 10; aircraft touches down approximately 1,000 meters past threshold in tailwind conditions
5. 19:42 IST – Aircraft skids off runway end at approximately 41 knots ground speed
6. 19:43 IST – Aircraft plunges down embankment, breaks into three pieces, strikes perimeter wall
7. 19:45 IST – Rescue operations begin; no post-crash fire despite fuel leak
8. September 11, 2021 – AAIB releases 257-page final investigation report

What Is Known and What Remains Unclear

Context: Table-Top Runways and Aviation Safety in India

The Kozhikode accident highlighted longstanding concerns about the safety of table-top airports in India. These runways, built on elevated terrain or atop plateaus, offer limited overrun areas in the event of overruns or undershoots. Several Indian airports, including Mangalore where a similar accident occurred in 2010, feature this challenging design.

Following the Kozhikode crash, aviation authorities conducted comprehensive safety audits at similar airports across India. The accident contributed to renewed scrutiny of pilot training requirements, particularly regarding unstable approach protocols and crew resource management in adverse weather conditions.

The Vande Bharat Mission, under which Flight 1344 was operating, represented one of the largest repatriation efforts in aviation history. The program brought hundreds of thousands of Indian citizens home during the COVID-19 pandemic, often using airlines like Air India Express to supplement the national carrier’s capacity.

Official Sources and Key Statements

“The probable cause of the accident was the non-adherence to standard operating procedures by the Pilot Flying.”

— Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau Final Report, September 2021

“The accident highlighted systemic failures in Air India Express including poor safety culture and HR policies.”

— AAIB Investigation Summary

The primary sources for this account include the AAIB final report analysis and official Times of India reporting on the investigation findings. Additional context comes from aviation-safety.net documentation and ICAO working papers on the Annex 13 investigation process.

Summary

The crash of Air India Express Flight 1344 on August 7, 2020, resulted from a combination of pilot error, systemic airline failures, and challenging weather conditions at a demanding airport. The commander’s decision to continue an unstabilized approach, combined with the first officer’s failure to intervene, led to a landing that exceeded the available runway distance at Kozhikode’s table-top airport. The subsequent plunge down the embankment killed 21 people and injured over 100 others.

The AAIB’s 2021 report brought clarity to the accident’s causes while identifying broader concerns about aviation safety culture that required industry-wide attention. Understanding the difference between similar-sounding terms like Effect or Affect reflects the precision required in accident investigation reporting, where every detail carries significance.

Frequently Asked Questions