AAIB flags safety lapses in Pawan Hans chopper crash
A preliminary report by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has revealed that critical safety protocols were not followed in the crash of a Pawan Hans helicopter near Mayabunder in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. The accident, which occurred on February 24, resulted in the death of one passenger and serious injuries to several others.
In its preliminary report on the accident, the AAIB recommended that the aviation safety watchdog conduct spot checks on the operations of all commercial helicopter operators to check their compliance with this requirement. The body also recommended to the DGCA to sensitise its pilots to arm floats for all applicable operations.
A Pawan Hans helicopter crashed into the sea after taking off from Ranghat helipad in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, with seven persons on board for Mayabunder helipad on February 24 was not activated during the approach.
The Pawan Hans’s Airbus helicopter AS365N3 bearing registration number VT-PHY on approach to Mayabunder helipad, which was conducted by the co-pilot, after turning on to finals, “descended with high rate of descent” and crash landed into the sea, as per the preliminary report.
“On contact with a water body, the helicopter's floats did not activate. The helicopter toppled to its Starboard side and as the depth of the sea at the crash location was only 4-5 ft, the port side of the helicopter was above the waterline,” it said.
In the accident, one passenger died, two passengers, including one infant, suffered serious injuries and two passengers sustained minor injuries, while both the crew escaped unhurt, the preliminary report stated.
“The floats were not armed in the cockpit during the approach, although the same is required by the Standard Operating Procedure for operations at Port Blair as approved by the DGCA in the company operations manual,” the AAIB said in the preliminary report.
The floats or emergency flotation system of a helicopter are inflatable bags installed on the machine to prevent sinking after a water landing.
“DGCA may issue directions to Pawan Hans Ltd, to ensure strict adherence to usage of all available passenger seat restraint mechanisms and life jackets (wherever applicable),” the AAIB recommended in the interim report.
It also recommended the DGCA to conduct spot checks on the operations of all commercial helicopter operators for checking the compliance of the above.
The apex aircraft investigation body also asked the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to issue directions to Pawan Hans to sensitize their pilots to arm floats for all applicable operations as per the approved company operations manual.
Both the crew members managed to bring all the passengers out and they were shifted to a local hospital at Mayabunder by boats. Three passengers (including the infant) and the crew members were shifted to Sri Vijaya Puram by Pawan Hans Ltd helicopter, as per the preliminary report.
“There was one fatality of a passenger on the 3rd day after the accident, while two passengers (one adult and an infant) admitted at a hospital at Sri Vijaya Puram were discharged on March 12,” it said.
