Paud helicopter crash caused by weather change, poor visibility: Report
A preliminary inquiry report into the Paud crash, accessed by HT, conducted by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, reveals that a sudden change in weather and poor visibility were the primary factors that led to the accident
The Wednesday helicopter crash, in which three people died after a chopper crashed and caught fire in the hilly area of Bavdhan, occurred just a month after a similar accident on August 24, 2024, when a helicopter crash near Kondhavale village in Paud, injuring four people.
A preliminary inquiry report into the Paud crash, accessed by HT, conducted by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, reveals that a sudden change in weather and poor visibility were the primary factors that led to the accident.
On August 24, 2024, an Agusta Westland 139 helicopter, with registration VT-GVI and belonging to M/s GVHL, was scheduled to fly from Juhu to Begumpet, with two crew members, an aircraft maintenance engineer, and a technician on board. The flight was a ferry operation intended to take the helicopter to Vijayawada, with a stop at Begumpet.
Due to heavy rain at Juhu, the flight’s departure was delayed. Once the weather improved, the helicopter took off at 2 pm, and cleared to fly under Visual Flight Rules until Pune, where the crew planned to switch to Instrument Flight Rules at Karnala.
The initial portion of the flight was uneventful. However, around 20 nautical miles from Pune, the crew reported encountering adverse weather. In an attempt to avoid the rough conditions, they banked the helicopter left but lost control as it entered a spiral dive, leading to the crash.
The report highlights how the inclement weather was a key factor. With the helicopter flying into clouds and without any visual reference points, the “pilot struggled to maintain control”, the report stated. As the helicopter descended rapidly, it struck a tree, dislodging the tail, before hitting the ground and toppling over on its side.
Both pilots were injured on impact, with the pilot-in-command sustaining a head injury. Fortunately, the aircraft maintenance engineer managed to rescue the flight crew after breaking the cockpit window and extinguishing smoke from the engine.
“Crew stated that the helicopter was in clouds and they did not have any visual reference while the helicopter was descending rapidly. As they broke cloud, the helicopter was observed to be at 500 ft on Radio Altitude (RA) and 80 kts speed. The PIC decided to land immediately. As the helicopter was flared to arrest the rate of descent, the helicopter tail hit a tree and got dislodged. The helicopter impacted the ground about 30 feet ahead and toppled on the left side,” the report stated.
The helicopter, manufactured in 2008, was well-maintained and had undergone extensive inspections just days before the accident. Its Certificate of Airworthiness and Certificate of Registration were valid. The engines had also been recently inspected. The crew members held valid licenses and were deemed fit for the flight.
The incident serves as a reminder of the challenges pilots face when weather conditions change unexpectedly mid-flight.