Two pilots killed as Tecnam training aircraft crashes in Kanpur
Two pilots killed as Tecnam training aircraft crashes in Kanpur Two pilots killed as Tecnam training aircraft crashes in Kanpur Two pilots killed as Tecnam training aircraft crashes in Kanpur Two pilots killed as Tecnam training aircraft crashes in Kanpur Lucknow: Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has identified shortcomings in safety monitoring at Garg Aviation while investigating the Aug 27 trainer aircraft crash in Kanpur that claimed two lives, though the exact cause of the accident is yet to be determined.
In its preliminary report, AAIB found that Garg Aviation had not complied with Directorate General of Civil Aviation’s (DGCA) Flying Training Circular 1 of 2022, which requires training organisations to monitor training flights to improve operational safety and training quality. The accident involved a Tecnam P2006T aircraft, registered as VT-NBV, which crashed near Kanpur’s Ganga Barrage on Aug 27 during a routine training flight. The 39-year-old instructor had logged more than 3,337 flying hours, including over 283 hours on the Tecnam P2006T. The 28-year-old trainee pilot had nearly 200 hours of flying experience but only four hours on the aircraft type. At around 12.10 pm, Garg Aviation learnt that the aircraft had crashed near Ganga Barrage. weather information from the nearby Air Force station showed rain, mist, low clouds and thunderstorm advisories around the time of the flight, with visibility ranging between 3 km and 5 km While Kanpur Civil Aerodrome does not have a dedicated meteorological facility.
AAIB clarified that the report is preliminary and that the investigation is continuing. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Lucknow | Silver Rate in Lucknow | Bank Holidays in Lucknow | Public Holidays in Lucknow | Lucknow AQI | Weather in Lucknow | Petrol Price in Lucknow | Diesel Price in Lucknow | CNG Price in Lucknow | LPG Price in Lucknow Stay updated with the latest Lucknow news.
The bureau said the flying school claimed it carried out random checks of data recorded by the aircraft’s Garmin G950 digital cockpit system (records flight information such as altitude, speed, engine performance and the aircraft’s flight path) but maintained no records of such monitoring. “It was the first sortie of the day, and according to the report, the aircraft had valid airworthiness certificates with no technical defects reported before takeoff,” the preliminary report said. The aircraft took off at around 11.11 am and reported “Ops Normal” over radio at about 11.25 am, informing the temporary air traffic controller that it would make another call after 10 minutes, according to AAIB. Repeated attempts to contact the aircraft failed, prompting the chief flight instructor to launch another aircraft to search for it,” the report said. “The aircraft was destroyed in the impact, though no post-crash fire occurred,” the report said, adding that no distress call was made before the crash. AAIB said it has recovered the aircraft’s Garmin data card, engines and other components for detailed examination.
Investigators also found there was no standard operating procedure explaining how the data should be analysed or what limits would trigger a safety review. AAIB has recommended that DGCA direct Garg Aviation and other flying training organisations to strictly follow the circular. Deputy chief flight instructor (Dy CFI) Sachin Bhatia and trainee pilot Abhishek Pujari died in the crash. The aircraft had taken off from Kanpur Civil Aerodrome for a training exercise. “However, no further communication was received. Residents alerted police through the emergency helpline, and the two occupants were taken to hospital, where they were declared dead. The preliminary report also examined the weather conditions at the time of the accident. Investigators are also scrutinising operational records, maintenance documents, fuel and oil samples and statements from personnel. Download the TOI App.
Both had undergone mandatory preflight breath analyser tests and were found to be negative for alcohol before the flight.