As the Airbus 320 aircraft landed off the centre line of the runway, it careened onto unpaved surface. The pilot tried to correct course, but the left wing hit an unidentified object.
Moments after the blind landing, Captain Vats realised the worst wasn't yet over. He says soon after their flight had crash landed, they could hear the pilot of a Spicejet flight from Goa, who was next in line, seeking ATC clearance to land, but was not getting any response.
On not hearing anything from the tower controllers, Captain Vats himself radioed the pilot of the Spicejet flight.
While Captain Vats's manoeuvre helped saved several lives, officials said the plane was so badly damaged that it will never fly again.
Commissioned in 1991, the plane was Air India's oldest serving aircraft.
DGCA has ordered an investigation and has derostered Captain Vats till completion of the probe.
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