On August 7, 2020, Air India Express Flight 1342 careened off a rain-soaked runway in Kerala, hurtling 35 feet into a gorge and shattering the lives of hundreds. Twelve months later, those left behind are still searching for answers — and for the systemic changes that might prevent the next catastrophe.
The Crash That Shook India
The Boeing 737-800 was operating a Vande Bharat repatriation flight from Dubai, carrying 191 passengers — many of them Indian migrant workers stranded during the pandemic. As the plane approached Kozhikode airport in heavy rain, something went catastrophically wrong.
It overshot runway 10, crossed a parapet wall, and dropped into a steep valley. Of the 191 people aboard, 18 died including both pilots. Another 173 survived with injuries ranging from minor cuts to catastrophic spinal damage. The aircraft was destroyed.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation immediately grounded all Boeing 737 aircraft operated by Air India Express. An investigation was launched.
What the Investigation Found
By February 2021, India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau released its final report. The findings were stark: the crew continued an unstabilised approach despite landing weather conditions falling below minimums. Neither pilot called for a go-around.
The report pinned primary responsibility on Captain Dev Kumar, 36, noting he had received his type rating just months before the crash and lacked adequate experience for the conditions. Co-pilot Akhilesh Kumar, 34, failed to intervene despite clear warning signs.
Communication breakdowns
Air traffic controllers at Kozhikode had issued multiple alerts about weather deterioration. The DGCA investigation later revealed controllers were using outdated communication protocols, and their warnings were not heeded by the flight crew.
The bureau recommended criminal prosecution of both pilots. Kerala police registered a case under Section 304A of the Indian Penal Code — causing death by negligence — against the estate of Captain Dev Kumar, who died in the crash.
Fighting for Compensation
For Prithviraj Nair, whose sister Neethu was among the injured, the past year has meant navigating a maze of bureaucratic negotiations. Air India initially offered ₹10 lakh (approximately $13,500) to survivors with serious injuries — a figure Nair rejected as insultingly low.
"She spent three months in hospital. She cannot work full-time anymore. The airline wants us to just accept whatever they throw at us and disappear," Nair said in a phone interview from Kozhikode.
Air India eventually established a claims panel. By August 2021, the airline confirmed it had processed 89 percent of compensation claims — though survivor advocates dispute whether the amounts adequately cover long-term medical needs. The airline's offer for the deceased was ₹1 crore (roughly $134,000) per victim.
Aviation Safety Reforms
The crash triggered a comprehensive safety review across Indian aviation. The DGCA mandated that all airlines operating at table-top runways — like Kozhikode's — installEngineered Material Arresting System barriers. These rubberised surfaces can slow an aircraft that overruns, potentially saving lives.
The regulator also introduced mandatory recurrent training for pilots on steep approach procedures and required airlines to conduct line-oriented flight training every six months instead of annually.
Air India Express, which operates exclusively Boeing 737 aircraft, implemented a new Standard Operating Procedure requiring two independent go-around calls from crew members before executing a missed approach.
The Families Still Seeking Answers
For Sheena Thomas, whose brother Bibin was returning home for the first time in two years when the plane crashed, the investigation's conclusion brought no closure. She sits on a panel of affected families that has met twice with Air India management.
"They keep telling us they are 'reviewing processes.' But nobody has explained why our families were on a plane that clearly should not have landed in those conditions," Thomas said.
The family panel submitted a 14-point memorandum to Air India's chairman in May 2021, demanding independent oversight of airline safety audits and public disclosure of all regulatory findings. Air India acknowledged receipt but has not issued a formal response.
What Comes Next
A memorial service is scheduled for August 7 at the crash site in Kozhikode, where families plan to plant 18 saplings — one for each life lost. Air India has committed to foot the costs of the memorial garden.
The real test, survivors and families say, will come when the Indian Parliament reconvenes in September. Civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has indicated the ministry will present a new Aviation Safety Bill that incorporates recommendations from the AAIB report.
Whether that legislation actually changes how Air India and its competitors train pilots and assess weather risk remains uncertain. For those still recovering, the waiting continues — for accountability, for safety reforms that stick, and for the day when a year of grief finally translates into something that matters.
