DGCA begins probe into chopper crash

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation(DGCA) has begun a probe into the chopper crash which claimed the lives of Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Rajashekhar Reddy and four others.

"DGCA has begun comprehensive investigations into the crash to find out the causes. But preliminary reports say that the helicopter may have run into bad weather," Civil Aviation minister Praful Patel told reporters here.

Expressing grief at the death of Reddy and others, he said the chief minister was "a wonderful human being and the country has lost a great leader."

He said the twin-engined Bell-430 aircraft had airworthiness certifications valid till December next year while the two pilots, who also died, were certified and had long experience in helicopter operations.

"There was no indication of a snag or shortcoming through out the flight," the minister said, adding that the ill-fated chopper had a weather radar and was technically capable of flying in "blind conditions" as well.

However, since the chopper was operating under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) instead of being instrument-guided, "it is for the pilot to take a decision," Patel said, adding it was for the inquiry to take a final view on the matter.

To questions relating to safety of helicopter operations in the wake of several incidents and accidents (which result in deaths) in the recent past, Patel said "irrespective of the outcome and keeping in mind the past cases, we need to see how helicopter flying can be made more safer in the country."

There are stringent guidelines for helicopter operations in the country, put in by the DGCA. The regulatory body has also been coming out with instructions on a regular basis for heli-operators to follow the laid down rules, procedures and guidelines.

The instructions have been mostly based on analysis of accidents involving general aviation helicopters and planes.

Aviation sources said most of the helicopter accidents have occurred when the aircraft was being flown under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) instead of being guided by Instrument Flight Rules (IFR).

Besides the numerous accidents involving casualties in  the recent past, the IAF helicopters carrying president Pratibha Patil and her entourage at Mumbai airport, which experienced a near-miss incident this February, were also being flown under VFR.

These visual flying rules are generally not used at busy airports which have a controlled airspace and the air traffic being generally guided by IFR.

Speculating on the probable reasons for the accident, the sources said the Bell-340 helicopter carrying the Andhra Pradesh chief minister could have shifted course following deep cloud formation on its flight path.

In the process, it could have banged into the hillock due to very poor visibility in the area yesterday morning with its fuel tanks exploding on impact, they said, adding that a comprehensive enquiry would go into all aspects.

The DGCA rules make it mandatory for the non-scheduled plane and helicopter operators to possess valid airworthiness certificates for their aircraft, which should be inspected by licensed aeronautical engineers on a regular basis.

While all defects must be rectified before flights, the planes or helicopters should be equipped with dual radio communication, navigation, weather instruments and instrument landing system localisation equipment, among other things, the DGCA directives said.

The flight plan should also clearly indicate alternate airports for landing, these rules said, adding qualification standards have also been set for the pilots operating the aircraft.