The pilot of the Ranchi-bound Border Security Force (BSF) Superking-Air B-200 plane that crashed near Dwarka and burst into flames just outside the IGI airport on Tuesday morning had noted a technical snag soon after he started the engine, but he was reportedly told to go ahead by the BSF ground crew leading to a crash in which 10 people on board died.
According to sources in Air Traffic Control (ATC) at IGI, Captain Bhagwati Prasad Bhat’s decision of landing at the terminal-1D came 10 seconds late. He could have averted the accident if he had taken the decision to land the plane 10 seconds before, said sources.
What is more tragic is the fact that the plane was carrying technical team of Border Security Force (BSF)’s aviation wing. They were being sent to Ranchi to repair a helicopter that was grounded at the Ranchi airport but so fickle is the caprice of fate that they could not make it and the chartered flight proved to be their last one. ATC sources said the BSF plane took off at 9.27 am on Tuesday and within two minutes pilot relayed back to the ATC to inform that there was a very serious technical issue with both the engines of the aircraft and he must be given permission to land as the situation was very grave. The ATC officials gave the go ahead and preparations were launched to help the plane land safety. The drill for emergency landing was activated at the runway no-10.
The pilot took a 180 degree turn to land at the air strip that was cleared for his landing. While doing so the pilot committed that cardinal error that ultimately proved fatal for all the 10 members onboard (including the pilot). The plane could not make it to the designated runway it crashed.
Preliminary investigations have revealed that the twin-engine Superking plane took a turn after taking off at around 9.37 am and hit a tree while apparently approaching to land following a possible technical problem, according to officials from the Air Traffic Control (ATC) and Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). “It then crash landed hitting the periphery of the airport, then dragged on smashing through a portion of the boundary wall,” they said. Small pieces of the wreckage of the fuselage are currently being salvaged by a team of police, disaster management and other officials, they said.
Sources further added that apparently both the engines of the ill-fated aircraft had stopped functioning and that resulted in the aircraft loosing speed. Once the engines shut down, the tiny aircraft came under tremendous air pressure lost control with the ATC. The plane was shaking wildly and before the pilot could view the landing strip, the plane hit the boundary wall and crashed. The failure of both the engines resulted in the shutting down of the auto gliding mechanism that works in such an emergent situation, they said.
Sources added had those crucial 10 seconds were not lost, the aircraft could have landed safely as all the emergency measures were ready to help it land safely. There were some eye-witnesses who claimed that the plane had caught fire mid-air before hitting against the boundary wall. Meanwhile the directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA) ordered an enquiry to ascertain the causes of the crash. The exact reasons for the tragic incident will be known once the black box of the air craft is studied said an official.
It has been learnt that the maintenance of the plane was outsourced. It will be ascertained whether there were lapses in the maintenance. The enquiry will also look in to ascertain about flighty clearance that was given to the aircraft before its final flight.