A Standing Committee on Defence report tabled in the Lok Sabha has confirmed that human error was the cause of the tragic Mi-17 V5 helicopter crash that killed Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat, and 10 others on December 8, 2021.
The crash occurred in the hills near Coonoor, Tamil Nadu, while the helicopter was en route to the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington. The report, which was presented to the parliament earlier this week, attributed the cause of the crash to “Human Error (Aircrew).”
The Mi-17 V5 helicopter had taken off from the Sulur Air Force base in Coimbatore, carrying General Rawat, his wife, and 12 other personnel. Just minutes before landing, the helicopter crashed into the mountainous terrain, leading to the deaths of all on board, except for Group Captain Varun Singh. Singh, a Shaurya Chakra awardee, survived the crash but succumbed to severe burns a week later in a Bengaluru military hospital after being moved from Coonoor.
The inquiry into the accident, which included a detailed investigation of the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR), indicated that the pilot lost spatial orientation after entering clouds due to sudden weather changes in the valley. This resulted in a Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT), a term used to describe an incident where an aircraft crashes into the ground, despite the pilot having control of the aircraft.
The report also revealed that, during the 13th Defence Period Plan (2017-2022), the Indian Air Force (IAF) faced a total of 34 accidents, with nine occurring in the fiscal year 2021-2022. The December 8 crash was one of the most high-profile and devastating incidents during this period.
General Rawat, India’s first CDS, was widely regarded for his leadership and contributions to the Indian military. The loss of CDS Rawat, his wife, and the others on board was a national tragedy, with condolences pouring in from all over the world.
The Standing Committee’s report serves as a painful reminder of the risks involved in military operations and the crucial importance of understanding and mitigating human errors in such high-stakes environments.
Sources By Agencies