HAuLed up

On September 9 last year, two MiG-21s crashed, one in Rajasthan, the other in Ambala. The Indian Air Force, as is the norm, ordered an inquiry but this inquiry is turning out to be far from routine.

Official records accessed by The Sunday Express show that it has led to a severe, unprecedented indictment of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited which maintains the IAF8217;s fighter fleet and is the Government8217;s showpiece for the manufacture of training and combat aircraft.

So strong is the indictment that HAL chairman N R Mohanty has agreed, for the first time ever, to post Russian expert 8216;8216;audit teams8217;8217; at HAL sites Lucknow, Koraput, Nashik to ensure better quality control in engine repair and overhaul. The first team is expected this month.

Since the IAF probe began, it has lost six more aircraft due to 8216;8216;technical defects,8217;8217; all maintained and overhauled by HAL. In fact, of the 315 MiG-21s lost over the last 30 years, 118 were due to 8216;8216;technical defects8217;8217;.

When contacted, the IAF spokesperson declined to comment on the exchanges with HAL. But its conclusion that HAL8217;s quality control 8216;8216;shook our confidence,8217;8217; is based not only on its own probe but also investigation done by a team of experts specially flown in from RAC-MiG in Russia, the original manufacturers.

Consider the sequence of events:

8226; On November 25, 2002, Air Headquarters wrote to Mohanty saying its findings 8216;8216;shook our confidence in the quality control at HAL.8217;8217;

Both the September 9 crashes, the letter said, were due to 8216;8216;flame-out8217;8217; sudden seizure in the engine because of faults found in the Rotary Slide Valve RSV, the critical component that regulates how much fuel reaches the MiG8217;s engine.

Traces of silica, sodium, calcium, aluminium had jammed the valve causing the accident8212;metals not from the valve8217;s material. In other words, these impurities sneaked in during cleaning or installation.

8226; Air Headquarters then sent a team of two officers to HAL divisions in Koraput and Lucknow where the MiG engines are assembled. Based on the team8217;s feedback, HAL was told that 8216;8216;a lot needs to be done to improve its environment and technical practices.8217;8217;

And that actions was required 8220;on a war footing to improve deficiency areas8230;improve the level of awareness at the shop-floor level personnel.8217;8217; 8226; On February 25, 2003, Air Headquarters sent a second letter suggesting that a dedicated team of specialists from all HAL divisions8212;Lucknow, Koraput, Nashik8212;8216;8216;carry out a study to resolve the issue of the valve RSV seizure.8217;8217;

8226; In April, Air Headquarters got a team of Russian specialists from RAC-MiG, the original manufacturers, to fly down and visit the HAL division in Koraput as well as the Air Force station in Ambala to investigate the causes of engine seizure.

8226; Based on the Russians8217; findings, another letter, dated June 18, 2003, was sent to HAL. In this the indictment was sweeping: 70 of the cases of engine seizure were barely within hours of overhaul; fuel system was contaminated, specified design and technology parameters were being violated. see box

It was this that prompted Air Headquarters to suggest to HAL that a 8216;8216;Russian audit team be posted at the work sites8217;8217; to improve the quality control process.

And on July 10, 2003, HAL chief Mohanty wrote back to Air Headquarters acknowledging that the problem of valve seizure had been viewed with 8216;8216;serious concern8217;8217; and a 8216;8216;number of initiatives8217;8217; taken in areas of 8216;8216;over haul and testing and better fuel management.8217;8217;

According to his letter8212;Mohanty was unavailable for comment8212;HAL took several other steps: training of technical personnel, proper flushing of the engines, daily check of fuel cleanliness and internal audits of the respective divisions.

He also agreed with Air Headquarters8217; suggestions to post a Russian team of specialists from RAC-MiG and INKAR, the original manufacturers of the engine8217;s fuel pump, in India.

On the problem of lack of cleanliness in the engines, which had proved fatal for the aircraft would be addressed, 8216;8216;as suggested in the Russian report8217;8217; and 8216;8216;units in the assembly line will be checked for cleanliness again after8217;8217; the engines were flushed.