50 Years ago today: On 14 June 1972 a Japan Air Lines McDonnell Douglas DC-8-53 crashed near Jaitpur, India, killing 82 out of 87 persons on board.

Date:Wednesday 14 June 1972
Time:20:18
Type:Silhouette image of generic DC85 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Douglas DC-8-53
Operator:Japan Air Lines – JAL
Registration:JA8012
MSN:45680/213
First flight:1964
Engines:Pratt & Whitney JT3D-
Crew:Fatalities: 10 / Occupants: 11
Passengers:Fatalities: 72 / Occupants: 76
Total:Fatalities: 82 / Occupants: 87
Ground casualties:Fatalities: 4
Aircraft damage:Destroyed
Aircraft fate:Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location:ca 20 km E of Delhi-Palam Airport (DEL) (   India)
Phase:Approach (APR)
Nature:International Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport:Bangkok-Don Muang International Airport (BKK/VTBD), Thailand
Destination airport:Delhi-Palam Airport (DEL/VIDP), India
Flightnumber:JL471

Narrative:
The DC-8 took off from Bangkok at 11:21 UTC on a flight to Delhi, India. Clearance for a straight-in ILS approach to Delhi runway 28 was given at 14:43 UTC. Shortly after reporting 23DME, the aircraft struck the banks of River Yamuna.
The first officer was Pilot Flying during the approach to Delhi.

Probable Cause:

PROBABLE CAUSE: Japanese investigators claimed a false glide path signal to be responsible for the descent into terrain. Indian investigators say the accident was caused by a total disregard of laid down procedures by the crew and abandoning all instrument indications without properly ensuring sighting of the runway.