Remembering the world's deadliest 'mid-air collision'

On the 12th November 1996, Saudi Arabian Airlines Flight 763, a Boeing 747 en route from Delhi-Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL/VIDP), to Dhahran International Airport (DHA/OEDR and Kazakhstan Airlines Flight 1907, an Ilyushin Il-76 en route from Shymkent Airport (CIT/UAII)
to Delhi-Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL/VIDP), collided over the village of Charkhi Dadri, around 100 km (62 miles; 54 nmi) west of Delhi. The crash killed all 349 people on board both planes, making it the world's deadliest mid-air collision and the deadliest aviation accident to occur in India. The Saudi Arabian Airlines Boeing 747-168B, registration HZ-AIH was flying the first leg of a scheduled international Delhi–Dhahran–Jeddah passenger service as Flight SVA763 with 312 people on board while the Kazakhstan Airlines Ilyushin Il-76TD, registration UN-76435, was on a charter service from Chimkent Airport to Delhi as KZA1907. Saudi Arabian Airlines departed Delhi at 18:32 local time (13:02 UTC). Kazakhstan Airlines was, at the same time, descending to land at Delhi. Both flights were controlled by approach controller VK Dutta. Kazakhstan Airlines was cleared to descend to 15,000 feet (4,600 m) when it was 74 nautical miles (137 km) from the beacon of the destination airport while Saudi Arabian, travelling on the same airway as Kazakhstan Airlines but in the opposite direction, was cleared to climb to 14,000 feet (4,300 m). About eight minutes later, around 18:40, Kazakhstan Airlines reported having reached its assigned altitude of 15,000 feet (4,600 m) but it was actually lower, at 14,500 feet (4,400 m), and still descending. At this time, Dutta advised the flight, "Identified traffic 12 o'clock, reciprocal Saudia Boeing 747, 10 nautical miles (19 km). Report in sight." When the controller called Kazakhstan Airlines again, he received no reply. He warned of the other flight's distance, but it was too late. The two aircraft had collided, the tail of Kazakhstan Airlines cutting through Saudia Airlines left wing and horizontal stabiliser. The crippled Boeing quickly lost control and went into a rapidly descending spiral with fire trailing from the wing. The Boeing broke up before crashing into the ground at a nearly supersonic speed of 1,135 km/h (705 mph). The Ilyushin remained structurally intact as it entered a steady but rapid and uncontrolled descent until it crashed in a field. Rescuers discovered four critically injured passengers from the Ilyushin, but they all died soon afterwards. Two passengers from the Saudia flight survived the crash, still strapped to their seats, only to die of internal injuries soon after. In the end, all 312 people on board SVA763 and all 37 people on KZA1907 were killed."The root and approximate cause of the collision was the unauthorised descending by Kazakhstan Airlines aircraft to FL-140 and failure to maintain the assigned FL-150".

Aircraft No 1 Information

Airline: Saudi Arabian Airlines 

Code: SVA / SV

Aircraft: Boeing 747-168B

Registration: HZ-AIH

Serial Number: 22748

Engines: 4 x Rolls Royce RB211- 524C2

Aircraft No 2 Information

Airline: Kazakhstan Airlines

Code: KZA / K4

Aircraft: Ilyushin Il-76TD

Registration: UN-76435

Serial Number: 1023 413428

Engines: Aviadvigatel PS-90 high-bypass turbofan engines.