CDS chopper crash: Rajnath briefed, changes in VVIP flying norms soon

Changes are likely to be made shortly in norms to be followed for VVIP flights, with the inquiry report into the deadly chopper crash that claimed the life of Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat and 13 others last month pointing to errors made by the air crew.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was given a detailed briefing on the tri-services inquiry into the report on Wednesday, which has gone into every aspect of the accident that took place when the Mi 17V5 helicopter went down in choppy weather near Wellington without giving out any distress call.

The cause of the crash is being identified as a Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) - when an aircraft crashes into the ground due to disorientation of the crew and not a technical glitch. A CIFT is among the most common reasons for air crashes in bad weather, especially in hilly terrain.


As reported, the inquiry report suggests that the helicopter did not suffer from a technical defect and the incident took place when it entered a low visibility patch just minutes before the scheduled landing. There has not been any official statement from the air force on the inquiry reports.