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Co-pilot killed in copter crash

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: Even as the city is pulling out all stops to host the AeroIndia show next week, the co-pilot of an advanced light helicopter (ALH) of the Indian Air Force (IAF) was killed and the pilot seriously injured after the chopper crashed at the Yelahanka Air Field here Friday.

The accident happened around 9.45 a.m. when four helicopters of the IAF's Sarang display team were practising for AeroIndia-2007, scheduled to begin at the Yelahanka Air Field on February 6.

According to an IAF spokesman, the helicopter crashed after the pilot, Wing Commander V. Jaitley, lost height. As the helicopter crashed short of Runway 9 on the western side of the airfield, Wing Commander Jaitley and co-pilot Squadron Leader Priyesh Sharma suffered severe injuries.

The two were rushed to Air Force Command Hospital and Squadron Leader Sharma (32), of Patna, died around 11.15 a.m. Wing Commander Jaitley (39), of New Delhi, is in the intensive care unit and will be under observation for the next 72 hours, the spokesman told The Hindu . A court of inquiry has been ordered, he said. According to IAF sources, this is the first accident involving an ALH of the Sarang display team. Sarang, the first IAF helicopter formation display team, uses the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)-built ALH.

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