Sources in 2022 told NDTV that pilot error was the probable cause of the chopper crash that led to the death of Chief of Defence Staff General Rawat.
New Delhi: Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat was killed in a Mi-17 V5 helicopter crash on December 8, 2021. As many as 12 people lost their lives in the accident, including General Rawat’s wife, Madhulika Rawat. The helicopter crashed in the mountains near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu.
Three years ago, a Standing Committee on Defence report tabled in the Lok Sabha yesterday told the House that the reasons for the crash of the Mi-17, which occurred on December 8, 2021, included “Human Error (Aircrew).”
The Standing Committee report of the 18th Lok Sabha said that during the ‘Thirteenth Defence Period Plan’ from Financial Years 2017 to 2022, a total of 34 IAF accidents took place. During FY 2021-2022, a total of nine accidents took place, and the one on December 8, 2021, was because of “Human Error
New Delhi: Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat died in a Mi-17 V5 helicopter crash on December 8, 2021. There were 12 casualties in the crash, including General Rawat’s wife, Madhulika Rawat. The helicopter crashed in the mountains near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu.
Three years later, a report from a Standing Committee on Defence, tabled in the Lok Sabha the day before yesterday, revealed that the reason for the December 8, 2021, crash of Mi-17 was “Human Error (Aircrew).”
According to the Standing Committee report of the 18th Lok Sabha, the ‘Thirteenth Defence Period Plan’ between FYs 2017 to 2022, 34 IAF accidents took place. The total number of accidents in FY 2021-2022 stood at nine, and on December 8, 2021, it was because of “Human Error (Aircrew).”
In 2022, sources told NDTV that pilot error was likely to be the cause of the chopper crash that killed Chief of Defence Staff General Rawat. The report from the Standing Committee on Defence now confirms that the crash was due to “Human Error.”
Later, in its preliminary findings, the inquiry team said, “The accident was a result of entry into clouds due to an unexpected change in weather conditions in the valley. This led to spatial disorientation of the pilot, resulting in a Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT). ” The team found this after analyzing the Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder and questioning all available witnesses to determine the most probable cause of the accident.
