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Canada News.Net
19-07-2025
- General
- Canada News.Net
Main rotor blade struck overhead cable while emergency landing, says AAIB's preliminary report on Uttarkashi helicopter crash
New Delhi [India], July 19 (ANI): The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on Saturday released the preliminary report into the May 8 Uttarkashi helicopter crash which claimed the lives of six people including the pilot. The report said that the helicopter crash near Gangnani in Uttarkashi was caused during emergency landing by the main rotor blade striking an overhead fibre optic cable. The report said that 20 minutes after takeoff, the helicopter began to descend from its assigned altitude. One passenger survived but sustained serious injuries. The crash occurred around 08:35 am during a chartered Char Dham Yatra flight. The Bell 407 helicopter, registered as VT-OXF and operated by Aerotrans Services Pvt. Ltd., had departed from Kharsali Helipad to Jhala Helipad with six passengers. This was a single-pilot operation and followed an earlier routine hill familiarisation flight completed earlier that day. 'The purpose of the flight was Charter flying for Char Dham Yatra. This was a single pilot operation flight, and this sector was planned to be operated by another pilot. The assigned flight level for this entire sector was 10,500ft AMSL... The helicopter airborne again at 08:11 IST from Kharsali helipad,' the report said. Investigators noted that the helicopter began descending from its assigned cruising altitude and attempted an emergency landing on the Uttarkashi-Gangotri Road (NH 34), near Gangnani. During the descent, the main rotor blade struck an overhead cable that ran parallel to the road. The impact also damaged nearby metal barricades before the helicopter tumbled down a steep slope. It eventually came to rest against a tree roughly 250 feet into a gorge. 'The helicopter flew for 20 minutes before descending from its assigned altitude... Eventually, it came to rest against a tree, approximately 250 feet deep into a gorge,' the report said. The accident claimed the lives of the pilot and five passengers, leaving one passenger with serious injuries. 'The pilot and five passengers were fatally injured in the accident, while one passenger sustained serious injuries. The helicopter was destroyed in the crash. However, there was no fire,' the preliminary report said. The report said the aircraft was airworthy at the time of the flight. Records show a tail rotor defect had been fixed two days prior to the crash and is not believed to have contributed to the incident. All required inspections were current as of April 25, 2025. 'The BELL 407 helicopter was manufactured in 2008... The last scheduled inspections were carried out on April 25, 2025,' the report noted. The technical logbook showed the last pilot-reported defect was tail rotor skin peeling on May 3, 2025, which was corrected by May 7. 'The last defect reported by the pilot was 'surface skin peeled at the tail rotor tip'... the Certificate to Release to service was issued on 07th May 2025,' the report said. The wreckage has been transported to a secure facility for further examination. Experts from the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB), and Rolls-Royce are aiding in the investigation. 'The investigation team visited the accident site and carried out onsite investigation... The identified helicopter and engine components were brought to the AAIB Headquarters by the investigation team,' the report said. Additional coordination with international authorities and technical advisors is ongoing as investigators continue to gather and analyse evidence to determine the root causes. (ANI)
India Today
19-07-2025
- India Today
Uttarkashi chopper hit cable during emergency landing, crashed: Preliminary probe
The Union Civil Aviation Ministry's probing agency, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), stated in its preliminary report on Saturday that the May 8 chopper crash in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi — which killed six people, including the pilot — was caused by the main rotor blade striking an overhead fibre cable while attempting an emergency AAIB is currently investigating the crash of the BELL 407 helicopter, which was en route from Kharsali to the Jhala helipad. The Aviation Ministry's team has completed an initial probe at the crash site, gathering perishable evidence and components for further examination at their headquarters. Records from the operator have been obtained and are under with first responders, eyewitnesses, and officials from various aviation bodies have provided additional data for the investigation and helped AAIB piece together clues leading to the crash. During its attempted landing on NH 34 near Gangnani in Uttarkashi, the chopper struck an overhead cable, resulting in a crash that killed the pilot and five passengers. Eventually, it fell into a gorge about 250 feet deep. Despite extensive damage to the helicopter, belonging to AeroTrans Services Private Limited, there was no fire reported at the scene. The crash site has since been secured for further examination of the wreckage. The AAIB has collected crucial mechanical and electrical components for detailed taking off from Sahastradhara helipad in Dehradun, the chopper was heading to Kharsali helipad in Yamunotri. Four passengers on board were from Mumbai, while two others were from Andhra Pradesh.- EndsMust Watch
Economic Times
19-07-2025
- General
- Economic Times
Main rotor hit overhead cable during emergency landing, says AAIB preliminary report on Uttarkashi helicopter crash
A helicopter crash that claimed six lives near Gangnani in Uttarkashi district on May 8 was caused by a collision with an overhead fiber cable during an attempted emergency landing, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) said in its preliminary report released this week. The BELL 407 helicopter, operated by Aerotrans Services Pvt Ltd., was flying on a Char Dham Yatra charter route when it descended from its assigned altitude and attempted an emergency landing on National Highway 34. According to the AAIB, the aircraft's main rotor blade struck a fiber cable running parallel to the road, causing the helicopter to veer off course, hit roadside barricades, and tumble roughly 250 feet down a hillside before coming to rest against a tree. The pilot and five passengers were killed in the crash. One passenger sustained serious injuries. Notably, there was no post-impact fire, although the aircraft was destroyed, AAIB said in its prelim report. The helicopter had departed Sahastradhara helipad at 7:45 a.m. and made a scheduled stop at Kharsali, where a new group of six pilgrims boarded for the next leg to Jhala. It took off again at 8:11 a.m. The crash occurred approximately 20 minutes later, as the aircraft approached the Uttarkashi-Gangotri stretch near 59-year-old pilot, with over 6,160 hours of flying time, was operating the flight alone. Records show he held a valid Airline Transport Pilot License and medical certification. Pre-flight inspections were conducted earlier that day by a certified Aircraft Maintenance Engineer, who reported no discrepancies. The AAIB noted that the helicopter's last recorded defect—'surface skin peeled at the tail rotor tip'—had been addressed just two days before the crash, with the damaged part replaced and the aircraft cleared for investigation team has since visited the crash site, collected perishable evidence, interviewed eyewitnesses and responders, and recovered key components of the wreckage for detailed analysis, the AAIB report said.
Mint
19-07-2025
- General
- Mint
Uttarkashi helicopter crash: Chopper hit overhead cable during emergency landing, says AIIB preliminary report
The helicopter that crashed in Uttarkashi on May 8 struck an overhead fibre cable with its main rotor while attempting an emergency landing, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AIIB) has said in its preliminary report. The BELL 407 helicopter began to descend from its assigned altitude around 20 minutes after take off. The pilot tried to make an emergency landing on the Uttarkashi-Gangotri National Highway. However, the aircraft hit the cable running alongside the road, leading to a fatal crash, the AIIB report said. According to a senior Ministry of Civil Aviation official, the helicopter, registered as VT-OXF and operated by Aero Trans Service Private Limited, was chartered from Ahmedabad and carried six passengers and one captain. Visuals from the crash site showed the mangled interior of the chopper. On June 15, another helicopter carrying seven passengers had crashed in Uttarakhand's Gaurikund. The incident took place at 5:20 am when the chopper, with six passengers – five adults and one child – and the pilot, which was going from Shri Kedarnath Dham to Guptkashi, crashed near Gaurikund. According to the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA), the passengers in the helicopter hail from Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat. (This is a developing story. Please check back for updates)
Hindustan Times
19-07-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Uttarkashi crash: Chopper hit overhead cable during emergency landing, says probe agency AAIB
The Bell 407 helicopter that crashed in Uttarkashi on May 8, killing six people, including the pilot, had struck an overhead cable during an emergency descent, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) said in its preliminary report. SDRF personnel carry out rescue work after a helicopter carrying six people to Gangotri Dham crashed near Gangnani in Uttarkashi district.(PTI File) The helicopter, registered as VT-OXF and operated by Aerotrans Services Pvt. Ltd., had taken off from Kharsali Helipad at 08.11 IST, bound for Jhala Helipad with six passengers on board. It was a single-pilot operation following an earlier routine hill familiarisation flight conducted earlier the same day. 'The purpose of the flight was Charter flying for Char Dham Yatra. This was a single pilot operation flight, and this sector was planned to be operated by another pilot. The assigned flight level for this entire sector was 10,500 ft AMSL... The helicopter airborne again at 08:11 IST from Kharsali helipad,' the AAIB report stated. Roughly 20 minutes into the flight, investigators added that the helicopter began descending from its assigned altitude and attempted an emergency landing on the Uttarkashi-Gangotri Road (NH 34), near Gangnani. During the descent, the helicopter's main rotor blade struck an overhead fibre cable running parallel to the road. The impact damaged nearby metal barricades, and the aircraft subsequently tumbled down a steep slope, coming to rest against a tree approximately 250 feet into a gorge. Helicopter crashed 250 feet into gorge after 20-minute flight: AAIB report 'The helicopter flew for 20 minutes before descending from its assigned altitude... Eventually, it came to rest against a tree, approximately 250 feet deep into a gorge,' the report said. 'The pilot and five passengers were fatally injured in the accident, while one passenger sustained serious injuries. The helicopter was destroyed in the crash. However, there was no fire,' the report added. The AAIB confirmed the helicopter was airworthy at the time of the flight. A defect involving the tail rotor, where surface skin had peeled off, had been reported on May 3 and rectified by May 7. 'The last defect reported by the pilot was 'surface skin peeled at the tail rotor tip'... the Certificate to Release to service was issued on 07th May 2025,' the report reads. The aircraft, built in 2008, had its last scheduled inspection on April 25, 2025. 'The BELL 407 helicopter was manufactured in 2008... The last scheduled inspections were carried out on April 25, 2025,' it added. The wreckage has been moved to a secure facility for detailed examination. Experts from the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Canada's Transportation Safety Board (TSB), and Rolls-Royce are supporting the ongoing investigation. 'The investigation team visited the accident site and carried out an onsite investigation... The identified helicopter and engine components were brought to the AAIB Headquarters by the investigation team,' the report said. Coordination with international agencies and technical specialists is underway to determine the root cause of the crash.
