World Notes INDIA

The Indian Airlines Airbus A320 had been in service for only seven weeks when it began the approach for its scheduled landing in Bangalore after a 90-minute flight from Bombay. Moments before it was to touch down, in perfect flying weather, something went wrong. Falling short of the runway by 4,000 ft., the plane crash-landed on a golf course. The toll: 90 dead and 55 injured. A sole passenger escaped unhurt.

The crash raised questions about the technology on the A320, the world's only civil airliner equipped with a fully computerized flight-control system. The critical problem may be the lack of matching electronic support systems on the ground in India, as well as in scores of other Third World countries. The government ordered an inquiry to establish the cause of the crash. But whatever its findings, there is little prospect of immediate improvement, even after last week's disaster.