E-Paper
Twin aircraft crash: Tampered with evidence, probe agency recommends action against Redbird
AAIB probing the crash incidents of two aircraft belonging to Redbird Flight Training Academy has found tampering of flight data, absence of CCTV camera footages in hard disk during inspection
Pune: The team of Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) of the ministry of civil aviation probing the crash incidents of two aircraft belonging to Redbird Flight Training Academy has found tampering of crucial flight data and absence of closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera footages in hard disk during inspection at the Baramati centre of the academy.
In its separate reports submitted to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), copies seen by HT, AAIB has noted that Redbird officials without authorisation removed the SD card, tampered with it, removing crucial data. The hard disk that stored CCTV footages of various cameras installed on its premises was also tampered-with.
The probe team in its preliminary report submitted on November 21 to the DGCA has recommended action against Redbird “for obstructing the proceedings of the investigation team as per the extant provisions regarding both the air crash incidents”.
The aviation watchdog has already suspended flight operations at Redbird after the twin aircraft crashes while a police case was lodged at the Baramati police station late Monday against nine officials of the training academy for not cooperating with investigators.
On October 19, Tecnam P2008JC (single engine) aircraft VT-RBC took off from runway 11 at Baramati with sole occupant on board. During the initial climb at around 100 ft, the crew experienced engine related snagging and loss of power. Crew decided to discontinue the sortie and crash-landed just outside the fence towards the north of the field. In the second accident on October 22, another aircraft - Tecnam P2008JC (single engine) aircraft VT-RBT - with two occupants, including an instructor and a trainee, were carrying out general flying training sortie at Baramati when it crash-landed.
No casualty was reported in both instances.
P Anandan and Kanimozhivendhan G, investigation incharges and assistant directors (AAIB), in their preliminary report for the October 22 incident observed about 3,000-4,000 litres of fuel was stored at an open space on the airport premises without formal approval.
The training institute officials were unable to provide records demanded by the AAIB team pertaining to fuel procured by the company, including copies of fuel challans, fuel procurement order and fuel stock register. Only some details related to aviation fuel (Av gas) were made available.
The team observed that the aircraft was equipped with a Garmin Cockpit which has the facility to record flight parameters and store data on a SD Card. The SD card from the Garmin equipment was retrieved from the aircraft by the AAIB team. When the card was inserted into the computer, the properties of data files showed “date modified” for files dated October 22, 2023, between 0830 hours and 0850 hours.
“It shows that the card was removed by Redbird in an unauthorised manner, the data was accessed and modified, and the card inserted back to the aircraft. The data also did not have parameters related to engine performance,” stated AAIB in its report for the second incident.
In the first instance, the aircraft was equipped with Garmin Cockpit which has the facility for recording flight parameters and storing the data on SD Card. The Investigation team did not find the SD card in the aircraft on its arrival. On enquiry, it was informed that the SD card was removed by Redbird. No such instruction was issued by AAIB or the DGCA team present at the site, stated the report, adding that one SD Card was handed over to AAIB on October 20, 2023 at night.
“The data file in the SD card for the accident flight did not have details of the complete trip, but covered the duration after take-off and till impact. The data also did not have parameters related to engine performance,” the AAIB report stated.
The probe officials noted that the team sought recording from CCTVs installed on the premises of Redbird which has two cameras installed on the air traffic control (ATC) building and three on the apron area. The team was told that the hard disks from the digital video recorder (DVR) have been removed and sent to Pune for retrieval of CCTV footages.
“This was again done without permission from AAIB. Redbird academy president Karan Mann did not respond to specific messages sent on the FIR and the DGCA recommendations against the academy,” stated the report.
The probe officials noted that for the first incident, in view of the crucial evidence like SD card from wreckage and CCTV hard disks were removed before arrival of AAIB team without any intimation or permission, “it is recommended that necessary action may be taken by DGCA against Redbird Flight Training Academy Pvt Ltd for obstructing the proceedings of the investigation team as per the extant provisions”. The same recommendation was also made in the case of second incident.
FIR filed
A first information report (FIR) against officials of the academy was lodged at Baramati Taluka police station for non-cooperation and obstructing AAIB officials from conducting their probe. The police have invoked Sections 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions) and 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) of the IPC against nine officials of the company.
On the police case filed at Baramati and a video going viral about Redbird executives’ interaction with AAIB officials, Mann said, “Somebody should forget the tone and body language and listen to the content of the video. We will fully co-operate with the police during investigation.”
Civil aviation secretary Vikram Devdutt also did not respond to the queries sent on his mobile number.
