The Indian Air Force, in a recent report tabled in the Lok Sabha, has confirmed that the helicopter crash that resulted in the deaths of former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat, and 11 others was caused by “human error.”
According to the report from the Standing Committee on Defence presented in on December 17, there were 34 aircraft accidents recorded during the thirteenth defence plan period. Human error (aircrew) was identified as the most frequent cause, responsible for 16 accidents, including the incident involving the 2021 Mi-17 V5 helicopter that was carrying Gen. Rawat at the time of the crash.
Other contributing factors included technical defects, which were cited in seven cases, as well as foreign object damage and human error (servicing), each noted in two cases. Additionally, bird strikes and incidents still under investigation were each reported once.
The Ministry of Defence, led by Rajnath Singh, informed the Standing Committee that “all remedial measures stipulated by Chief of the Air Staff remarks are binding and actioned. Most have been actioned while a few are under implementation.”
The crash that led to Gen. Rawat’s death
On December 8, 2021, a crash occurred in the Coonoor region of Tamil Nadu, resulting in the death of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat, his wife, and 11 others.
They were aboard an Indian Air Force (IAF) Mi-17 V5 helicopter, which was en route to the Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) in Wellington, where General Rawat was scheduled to address faculty and students.
The helicopter took off from Sulur IAF station at approximately 11:50 AM but crashed around 12:20 PM, just 10 kilometers from its destination.
Eyewitnesses and official sources indicated that the helicopter was flying at a low altitude in thick fog when it collided with a valley and subsequently fell through the trees.
With inputs from agencies
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Air Force claims human error caused chopper crash that killed CDS General Bipin Rawat
