On the morning of May 22, 2010, tragedy struck the runway at Mangalore International Airport, as Air India Express Flight IX812 from Dubai overshot the runway and plunged into a gorge, killing 158 of the 166 people on board. This remains one of the deadliest aviation disasters in Indian history.
🕒 Quick Facts
Flight: Air India Express IX812
Aircraft: Boeing 737-800
Route: Dubai → Mangalore
Fatalities: 158 out of 166
Date: May 22, 2010
Location: Tabletop runway at Mangalore International Airport
🔍 What Happened?
The aircraft landed too far down the runway, with only a short stretch of pavement left to stop.
Despite multiple cockpit alerts and the co-pilot’s call to go around, the captain proceeded with the landing.
The Boeing 737 overran the tabletop runway, broke through the boundary wall, and plunged into a wooded gorge, igniting a massive fire.
⚠️ Why It Happened
Pilot Fatigue: The captain had been asleep during descent and made poor decisions upon waking.
Ignored Warnings: Repeated calls from the co-pilot and terrain warning systems went unheeded.
Runway Conditions: Mangalore’s tabletop runway has no overrun safety area, making misjudged landings extremely dangerous.
Cockpit Culture: A lack of assertiveness from the co-pilot showed a breakdown in Crew Resource Management (CRM).
✅ Lessons Learned: Never Hesitate to Go Around
This crash offers sobering lessons for pilots, airlines, and the aviation industry:
🚨 If in doubt, go around. A go-around is not a failure — it’s a life-saving decision.
🗣️ Empower all crew members to speak up and act decisively. CRM training is vital.
⏰ Combat pilot fatigue with better rest schedules and self-assessment.
🛬 Respect runway limitations, especially in tricky terrain like tabletop runways.
📉 Automation monitoring and situational awareness must be maintained at all times — even in auto-pilot descent.
✈️ Aviators are trained to go around. No landing is worth a risk. One extra circuit could have saved 158 lives.
🎥 Watch: Air India Express Flight 812 – Final Moments & Investigation
💬 Your thoughts? What stood out to you in this tragedy? Let’s discuss below.
📁 More analyses coming soon — real accidents, real lessons, and the real need for safety in the skies.
