Faridabad crash: ATC: Wall of air stopped plane at 24,000 feet
The blip on the ATC radar indicated the 9-seater air ambulance approaching Delhi from Patna suddenly stopped moving around 10.35pm on Wednesday.
By TNN | Updated:
NEW DELHI: The Pilates PC-12 aircraft that crashed in Faridabad on Wednesday had come up against such strong winds that it was unable to move, observations at the IGI Airport’s air traffic controller reveal. An official described the conditions as “hitting a wall” in the air.
The blip on the ATC radar indicated the 9-seater air ambulance approaching Delhi from Patna suddenly stopped moving around 10.35pm on Wednesday. As the air traffic control scrambled to contact the pilot of the aircraft, the dust storm outside IGI airport reached a speed of 60kmph.
“The pilot reported bad weather and since the blip was not moving, we would only conjecture that the wind was so strong that the aircraft was unable to fly,” said highly placed sources.
The aircraft that crashed into a densely populated locality in Faridabad, killing 10 people including all seven on board, had ATC officials worried for as long as 10 minutes before the crash. “The aircraft was at 24,000ft when it stopped moving. Then ATC asked it to descend to 11,000ft,” sources said.
FINAL MOMENTS
10.35pm: Blip in ATC radar indicates aircraft has stopped moving
ATC: Why aren’t you moving?
Pilot: Bad weather
10.38pm
ATC: Descend to 11,000ft
Pilot: Ok
10.40pm: Plane ascends to 14,000ft
ATC: Why are you ascending?
Pilot: Bad weather
10.40pm: Plane losing height rapidly
ATC: State your position No response
10.43pm: ATC tries to contact pilot on emergency frequency, 101.5 MgHz No response
10.43pm: Blip on radar shows rapidly falling aircraft, last blip at height of 2,000ft
10.48: ATC receives news of crash from fire department
The blip on the ATC radar indicated the 9-seater air ambulance approaching Delhi from Patna suddenly stopped moving around 10.35pm on Wednesday. As the air traffic control scrambled to contact the pilot of the aircraft, the dust storm outside IGI airport reached a speed of 60kmph.
“The pilot reported bad weather and since the blip was not moving, we would only conjecture that the wind was so strong that the aircraft was unable to fly,” said highly placed sources.
The aircraft that crashed into a densely populated locality in Faridabad, killing 10 people including all seven on board, had ATC officials worried for as long as 10 minutes before the crash. “The aircraft was at 24,000ft when it stopped moving. Then ATC asked it to descend to 11,000ft,” sources said.
FINAL MOMENTS
10.35pm: Blip in ATC radar indicates aircraft has stopped moving
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ATC: Why aren’t you moving?
Pilot: Bad weather
10.38pm
ATC: Descend to 11,000ft
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Pilot: Ok
10.40pm: Plane ascends to 14,000ft
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ATC: Why are you ascending?
Pilot: Bad weather
10.40pm: Plane losing height rapidly
ATC: State your position No response
10.43pm: ATC tries to contact pilot on emergency frequency, 101.5 MgHz No response
10.43pm: Blip on radar shows rapidly falling aircraft, last blip at height of 2,000ft
10.48: ATC receives news of crash from fire department
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