Probe into Uttarakhand helicopter crash focuses on nearby flights
Authorities are examining flights that departed near the time of the Trans Bharat Aviation crash in Chamoli.
An investigation is underway into the Trans Bharat Aviation helicopter crash that occurred in Uttarakhand's Sthan Marwadi on Friday. According to The Indian Express, officials are looking into flights that took off shortly before and after the accident to determine if weather or other factors caused the crash.
The helicopter departed Badrinath at 1.12 pm for Dehradun with five passengers and a pilot. Chamoli Superintendent of Police Surjeet Singh Panwar told The New Indian Express that the aircraft lost contact with Air Traffic Control at 1.14 pm, two minutes after takeoff.
The crash site near Hathi Pahad was difficult to reach, being 20-22 km from the nearest roadhead. An overnight operation involving the Army, police, SDRF, and ITBP recovered the bodies of all six victims, who were reported to be charred.
The India Meteorological Department had issued an orange alert for Chamoli on October 30 and a state-wide yellow alert for Uttarakhand on Friday. Flying operations in the Badrinath Valley had been suspended between 9 am and noon on Friday due to weather before resuming.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau has reached the site to retrieve components for analysis. An official stated that the tail section is the only part of the wreckage that remains relatively intact.
Following the accident, the DGCA decided that charter helicopter operations must now include a co-pilot for the rest of the season. Jain stated that single-pilot operations for charter flights are no longer permitted.