Mumbai, April 4 The emergency flotation system of the Pawan Hans helicopter that crashed into the sea with seven people on board near Mayabunder in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands on February 24 was not activated during the approach, according to an AAIB investigation report released on Saturday.
In its preliminary report on the accident, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) recommended that the aviation safety watchdog conduct spot checks on the operations of all commercial helicopter operators to check their compliance with this requirement. The body also recommended to the DGCA to sensitize its pilots to arm floats for all applicable operations.
A Pawan Hans helicopter crashed into the sea after taking off from the Ranghat helipad in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands with seven people on board for Mayabunder helipad on February 24, the emergency flotation system was not activated during the approach.
The Pawan Hans's Airbus helicopter AS365N3, bearing registration number VT-PHY, was approaching the Mayabunder helipad when, according to the preliminary report, the co-pilot, after turning onto the final approach, "descended at a high rate" and crashed into the sea.
"When the helicopter came into contact with the water, the floats did not activate. The helicopter then overturned to its starboard side, and since the depth of the water at the crash location was only 4-5 feet, the port side of the helicopter was above the waterline," it said.
In the accident, one passenger died, two passengers, including one infant, sustained serious injuries, and two passengers sustained minor injuries. Both crew members escaped unhurt, the preliminary report stated.
"The floats were not armed in the cockpit during the approach, although this is required by the Standard Operating Procedure for operations at Port Blair, as approved by the DGCA in the company operations manual," the AAIB said in the preliminary report.
Helicopter floats or emergency flotation systems are inflatable bags installed on the helicopter to prevent sinking after a water landing.
"The DGCA may issue directions to Pawan Hans Ltd, to ensure strict adherence to the use of all available passenger seat restraint mechanisms and life jackets (wherever applicable)," the AAIB recommended in the interim report.
It also recommended the DGCA to conduct spot checks on the operations of all commercial helicopter operators to check their compliance with the above.
The apex aircraft investigation body also asked the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to issue directions to Pawan Hans to sensitize their pilots to arm floats for all applicable operations as per the approved company operations manual.
Both the crew members managed to bring all the passengers out, and they were transferred to a local hospital at Mayabunder by boats. Three passengers (including the infant) and the crew members were transferred to Sri Vijaya Puram by Pawan Hans Ltd helicopter, as per the preliminary report.
"There was one fatality of a passenger on the third day after the accident, while two passengers (one adult and one infant) admitted at a hospital at Sri Vijaya Puram were discharged on March 12," it said.