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Why Did These Pilots LIE to the Controller?! | Indian Airlines Flight 257

2026-06-27 · 15:00 UTC ·Mentour Pilot ·1 min read

Brief

Indian Airlines Flight 257 is presented in a narrated accident-analysis video by Mentour Pilot that reconstructs the 16 August 1991 crash. The presentation (published 2026-06-27) uses the DGCA final report (VT‑EFL) to show the crew took an unauthorized approach shortcut, failed to monitor instruments as weather worsened, and misreported information to ATC, leading to a catastrophic outcome.

Why it matters

On 16 August 1991, Indian Airlines Flight 257's crew violated the published approach procedure by taking a shortcut during the approach, which the video identifies as the critical operational deviation.

Key details

  • The crew did not adequately monitor their instruments as weather deteriorated and, according to the video's analysis, provided misleading information to ATC (i.e., lied about position/status), factors cited from the DGCA final report (VT‑EFL).
  • Mentour Pilot's presentation (published 2026-06-27) reconstructs the accident using the Directorate General of Civil Aviation final report, emphasizing procedural non‑compliance and human‑factor failures as primary contributors to the catastrophic outcome.
Source evidence

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On 16 August 1991, Indian Airlines Flight 257 was operating a routine flight. The crew decided to violate the approach procedure by taking a short cut and during the approach, the crew did not adequately monitor their instruments, despite the deteriorating weather condition at the time. What happened next was catastrophic.

This is the full story of Indian Airlines Flight 257.

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Below you will find the links to videos and sources used in this episode.

SOURCES

Final Report: Directorate General of Civil Aviation
https://www.baaa-acro.com/sites/default/files/2020-08/VT-EFL.pdf

Aircraft Used: Take Command!: IXEG 737 Classic Plus by IXEG
https://www.x-aviation.com/catalog/product_info.php/take-command-ixeg-737-classic-plus-p-243

Challenger Disaster: NASA
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:ChallengerDisaster.ogv

Varig Flight 254: Mentour Pilot
https://youtu.be/VsT8Q0Fmdcc?si=v6TIssOa5F1wzG3F

Mentourpilot #pilot #aircraft

Channel: Mentour Pilot
Published: 2026-06-27
Video URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jqtxz2z7w0