Choppers sent DGCA rules into tailspin

DGCA inspectors have reported that the ONGC crash was, in all likelihood, caused by the failure of the tail rotor. Also, the copter’s ‘‘servo unit’’—which is responsible for maintaining the correct balance of weight in the chopper—had not been overhauled as per regulations. DGCA norms say it should be overhauled every 500 flying hours but this helicopter had clocked some 3,800 hours.

Says a senior official, ‘‘This was a concession the DGCA gave to the operator (Mescos). The helicopter had been grounded for a year and a lot of rigging had been done to the tail rotor before they were granted the air worthiness certificate. DGCA should have been more vigilant before permitting them to fly.’’

While the failure of the tail rotor has been backed by the data retrived from the chopper’s Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder, the servo unit is now being sent to an Air Force for examination.

A team of Russian engineers will arrive within the next few days to take part in the investigations of the helicopter’s mechanical failure. The fact that only one of the twin inflatable floats of the helicopters opened up is also an important aspect of the on-going crash probe.

However, Mescos CEO Natasha Singh says she has no official word on what may have caused the crash. ‘‘We are not privy to what the critical instruments have revealed and how the probe is progressing. We are sure all the parts of engine were in serviced condition.’’

In the case of the Bell 407 crash, the preliminary report shows several DGCA regulations were being violated by the operator, the Jammu and Kashmir Government. DGCA officials are now red-faced as they realise the helicopter had done several non-schedule sorties in hilly terrain without a valid permit.

On the ill-fated morning, the helicopter took off half an hour before permissible time when the visibility was just 25 m and DGCA’s regulations stipulate a 5-kilometre visibility.

Most shocking is the flight record of the pilot, who investigations reveal, violated DGCA’s rules of maximum permissible flying 11 times in the course of a month.

The pilot had been flying continuously without a rest for 43 days before the helicopter crashed (pilots are supposed to have a mandatory rest every sixth day) and had clocked 73 hours in a week instead of the maximum 60 hours.

No proper log books were being recorded or dispatched to the DGCA.

Sources say that since the Bell 407 was being used for VIP sorties, everyone turned a blind eye to the violations. On August 5, the helicopter was ferrying pilgrims in very poor light when it crash in Ganderbal, killing five persons on board.