2015 Indian Border Security Force King Air crash

On 22 December 2015, a light aircraft of the Indian Border Security Force crashed within the grounds of Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi, India. Ten personnel of the Border Security Force, three officers and seven senior technicians, were killed.^[1] The 22-year-old Beechcraft B200 King Air took off for Ranchi just before 9.30am, before crashing shortly afterwards.^[2]

2015 Indian Border Security Force King Air crash

A Beechcraft Super King Air similar to the crashed aircraft
Accident
Date	22 December 2015 (2015-12-22)
Summary	Pilot error leading to spatial disorientation and loss of control
Site	Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi, India
Total fatalities	10
Total injuries	1
Aircraft
Aircraft type	Beechcraft Super King Air 200
Operator	Border Security Force
Registration	VT-BSA
Flight origin	Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi, India
Destination	Ranchi Airport, Ranchi, India
Occupants	10
Passengers	8
Crew	2
Fatalities	10
Survivors	0
Ground casualties
Ground injuries	1

Aircraft

The aircraft involved in the accident was a 22-year-old Beechcraft B200 King Air.^[2]

Passengers and crew

The plane has two pilots, each with a commercial pilot licence.^[3]

In addition to the pilots, the plane was carrying eight technicians to Ranchi to repair a helicopter.^[4][2]

Accident

After the aircraft's engines were started the crew reported that there was a problem (the nature of which has not been reported), but continued with the flight after receiving advice from ground staff. The aircraft took off at 9:27am local time with an expected arrival time at Ranchi of 12:00pm.^[5]

Soon after taking off, the crew informed air traffic control that something was wrong and that they would return to Delhi. The pilots were then cleared to make an emergency landing on Delhi's Runway 28.^[5] At 9:40 AM, contact was lost with the aircraft. The plane then veered to the left, narrowly missing a village. It brushed a tree before hitting the perimeter wall of the airport and crashed into a sewage treatment plant within the airport complex. The aircraft then caught fire and was destroyed. All ten occupants were killed and another on the ground was injured.^[5]

Cause

The cause can be attributed to pilot error who incorrectly activated the autopilot and failed to take the proper corrective action. Five recommendations are also made.^[3]