The Hindu : Kerala News : Crew survive helicopter crash

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Saturday, Sep 29, 2007
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Crew survive helicopter crash

Staff Reporter

Incident occurred while landing at Kavaratti airfield

Remains: The Dauphin AS365 N3 chopper which crashed into a thicket while landing at the Kavaratti airfield on Thursday.

MALAPPURAM: A helicopter hired by the Lakshadweep administration crashed into a thicket while landing at the Kavaratti airfield on Thursday afternoon. The crew comprising two pilots and an engineer escaped with bruises. There were no other passengers on the helicopter.

The Dauphin AS365 N3 chopper belonging to Pawan Hans Helicopters Limited crashed at 12.15 p.m., moments before it was to land at the airfield. It was returning from Kochi after evacuating a paralysis-stricken passenger from Kiltan Island.

Captain P.K. Govil and Capt. Rathur, after recovering from the early shock, reportedly told the Kavaratti port officials that the crash was due to the failure of the rotor. Engineer R.P. Singh was also with them.

Airfield officials said the helicopter fell from a height of 25 ft into a thick bush at the eastern corner near the aviation turbine fuel (ATF) store. A tragedy was averted by a few metres, they told The Hindu.

The officials said the exact cause of the accident would be ascertained after examining the black box.

Witnesses said the chopper fell on its left side .

The crew members were pulled out of the chopper through its right-hand window.

The Lakshadweep administration ordered a magisterial inquiry into the accident. The Lakshadweep Collector will inquire into the circumstances that led to the crash, said a top administration official.

The Director-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will also conduct an inquiry into the accident.

The administration has placed an order with Pawan Hans for replacement of the helicopter, which has been functioning as an ambulance to airlift the acutely sick from the islands to the mainland.

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