DGCA probe team visits YSR chopper crash site

Hyderabad: An investigation team of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), probing the September 2 helicopter crash that killed Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy and four others, on Wednesday visited the crash site in Kurnool district.
The four-member team headed by RK Tiyagi, chairman and managing director of Pawan Hans, held a meeting with top officials in Kurnool town and visited the site over a hillock in the dense Nallamalla forests.
Tiyagi told reporters in Kurnool that the probe would be completed as early as possible and the progress in investigations would be posted on a website.
The team will stay in Kurnool for three days. It will visit the crash site on Thursday and Friday to gather scientific clues.
Tiyagi said they would also question the Air Traffic Control (ATC) staff who were in touch with the pilot of the helicopter before they lost the contact.
"We have begun the probe and we already have some information," he said after analysing parts of the helicopter recovered from the site.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary P Ramakanth Reddy and Director General of Police SSP Yadav also visited the crash site and provided information to the DGCA officials.
Speaking to reporters, Ramakanth Reddy said the chopper's Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) was recovered from the spot but it was damaged due to the impact of the crash. "Technical experts will analyse the ELT," he said clearing doubts whether the chopper was equipped with ELT or not.
09/09/09 Indo-Asian News Service/Hindustan Times

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Categories: Indian Aviation- In General Sep 2009, Safety Sep 2009