Uttarakhand chopper crash: No radar, no rules; inside Kedarnath's risky circuit
DEHRADUN/NEW DELHI: Manoj Sharma doesn't fly by the book in the Kedarnath sector - he flies by sight, by wind, by instinct. "We are flying in one of the world's most unforgiving regions with very little real-time weather support," he said.
"Operations are being conducted on pilot observation and visual reference. The weather is unpredictable and changes rapidly."
That reality now has the country's attention. In just six weeks, Uttarakhand has recorded five helicopter accidents - two fatal, others involving emergency landings and rotor damage - all on the Kedar route. In one case, a Kestrel Aviation helicopter crash-landed near a road, injuring the pilot.
This is not an outlier year. In 2022, an Aryan Aviation chopper crash killed seven. In 2023, Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA) finance controller Amit Saini died after being struck by a tail rotor. In 2013, a military rescue helicopter crash killed 20.
The terrain is tough, but not the only challenge. Pilgrimage flights have surged, but there's no dedicated air traffic control network.
"There is no ATC or weather station," said a veteran pilot.
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"Flying in the narrow valley from Gaurikund to Kedarnath needs experience and safety awareness, as there are no emergency landing sites." Another pilot added, " No route info is provided. Until these issues are fixed, operations should be stopped."
This month, the civil aviation ministry suspended Aryan Aviation and grounded two TransBharat pilots for flying in bad weather.
UCADA has been tasked with reviewing operations, setting up a command-and-control room, and coordinating with operators.
DGCA has deployed officers for oversight. But many in the sector say this isn't enough. "There are no checks. Faulty parts are being swapped with others to show repairs. Conscientious operators and passengers suffer," said one operator.
Others point to pressure and compromise. "Five chopper crashes in 1.5 months - the worst we've seen," said a senior pilot. "Char Dham ops are among the toughest, but we fly like nothing's wrong." Another pilot said: "Stop operations this yatra season - greed is driving it, not safety."
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