Air Disaster: How Communication Failure Caused History's Third Deadliest Plane Crash

The Charkhi Dadri air disaster of November 12, 1996, remains one of the deadliest mid-air collisions in history. Near Delhi, India, a Saudi Arabian Boeing 747 and an Ilyushin Il-76 from Kazakhstan collided, claiming 349 lives. The investigation revealed a confluence of factors: a narrow air corridor, inadequate radar systems, and communication breakdowns between the Ilyushin's crew and air traffic control. "The corridor was simply too narrow for the volume of traffic," stated a report released after the investigation. The outdated technology on the Ilyushin, a Soviet-era aircraft, also contributed significantly. The tragedy spurred significant changes in air traffic management and aircraft technology, leading to improved safety measures globally. Today, modern collision avoidance systems and more precise radar technology help prevent similar catastrophes.