Kanpur plane crash: AAIB issues initial report, says operator did not comply with flight monitoring norms

New Delhi, Sep 28 (PTI) Probe agency AAIB has issued the preliminary report into the fatal crash of Garg Aviation's twin-engine aircraft that killed two people last month and said the operator did not comply with flight monitoring norms.

AAIB has also suggested that aviation regulator DGCA should issue specific guidelines on procedures for flight data monitoring by Flying Training Organisations (FTOs).

A trainee pilot and an instructor were killed after Garg Aviation's twin-engine Tecnam P2006T trainer plane crashed at around 11:30 am on August 27. AAIB said that before the crash, no distress call was made by the aircraft, which was destroyed due to the impact.

The crash happened less than 20 minutes after the aircraft took off from Kanpur's civil aerodrome, which is an uncontrolled aerodrome managed and maintained by the Airports Authority of India (AAI).

In its seven-page preliminary report, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) said it has been observed that Garg Aviation did not comply with the norms on monitoring of training in FTOs.

"When queried on flight data monitoring, the FTO stated that random monitoring of Garmin data was being carried out; however, no records of such monitoring were maintained, and there was no SOP defining how the monitoring was conducted or what exceedance limits were considered for it," AAIB said.

A Gramin data card is a kind of flight data recorder for small aircraft.

Citing the preliminary findings, AAIB said it was necessary to issue interim safety recommendations and mentioned that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) may issue directions to Garg Aviation and other FTOs to strictly adhere to the Flight Data Monitoring requirements.

"Further, DGCA may issue specific guidelines detailing the procedure to be followed for flight data monitoring, which shall be made part of the TPM," the probe agency said.

TPM refers to the Training and Procedure Manual.

On August 27, AAIB said the aircraft VT-NBV took off at around 11:11 am and at around 11:25 am, it made a radio telephony call reporting ops normal and that it would call again after 10 minutes.

"No further call was received from VT-NBV thereafter. The RT controller attempted to contact VT-NBV but received no response," AAIB said.

According to the report, at 12:10 pm, Garg Aviation received information that the aircraft had force landed at Ganga Barrage Area and its team went to the site. No distress call was made by the aircraft.

"During discussion with police officials, it was informed that local residents reported the crash via helpline 112.

"Police and ambulance personnel rushed to the site and transported the trainee and instructor to nearby hospital, Kanpur, where both were declared dead," the report said.

Providing an update on the investigation, AAIB said data from the Garmin data card recovered from the wreckage has been downloaded and was being analysed.

"Both engines have been retrieved and quarantined for further detailed examination. The investigation team is coordinating with the OEM for further examination," it said.

OEM refers to Original Equipment Manufacturer.

Italian and American investigation agencies equivalent to the AAIB -- Italy's ANSV and the United States' NTSB -- have appointed an accredited representative each, along with a technical adviser from Tecnam to participate in this investigation.

As part of the probe, AAIB has also sought some of the documents/files related to the operating crew and aircraft from DGCA.

An uncontrolled aerodrome is an aerodrome without a control tower, or one where the tower is not in operation, according to the website SKYbrary.