Investigation Summary
Flight 783 was the second fatal accident involving the de Havilland Comet, the world's first commercial jetliner. The aircraft encountered a violent tropical storm known as a 'nor'wester' shortly after takeoff. The Indian court of inquiry determined that the aircraft experienced loads exceeding its design limits. The investigation highlighted two possibilities: either the atmospheric turbulence itself was powerful enough to destroy the airframe, or the pilot's attempts to maintain control in the extreme conditions resulted in overcontrolling, which induced fatal stresses on the wings and fuselage. While the inquiry recommended structural modifications, the specific vulnerability of the Comet to metal fatigue and explosive decompression was not fully understood until the subsequent losses of G-ALYP and G-ALYY in 1954.
Final Conclusions
The official investigation concluded the aircraft suffered structural failure in the air which caused a fire. The probable cause was overstressing resulting from either severe gusts encountered in the thundersquall or overcontrolling/loss of control by the pilot while flying through the thunderstorm.
Photographic Evidence (1)
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Airframe & Maintenance
Crew Experience
Captain
Possessed relevant meteorological warnings before departure.
First Officer
Systems & Failure Modes
Airframe Structure
The fuselage and wings failed under extreme stress, leading to a mid-air breakup.
Flight Controls
Investigators considered whether pilot input (overcontrolling) in response to turbulence contributed to the structural failure.
Interesting Facts
- 01The accident occurred on the first anniversary of the Comet's entry into commercial service.
- 02The wreckage was found strewn along a 5-mile (8km) track near the village of Jagalgori.
- 03Among the victims were Australian politician Trevor Oldham and his wife, Kathleen Oldham.
- 04The aircraft was climbing through a thundersquall at the time of the breakup.
- 05The investigation was conducted by an Indian court of inquiry.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Structural Modification Review
The investigation recommended that authorities consider whether modifications to the Comet's structure were necessary to withstand extreme weather loads.