YSR crash report says chopper was fit

Hyderabad: The state-level Crisis Management Team of the Andhra Pradesh government has prepared a report on the sequence of events — especially about the inspection of the chopper, security arrangements and the two pilots — preceding the departure of the ill-fated helicopter that crashed in the Nallamala forests killing chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, special secretary P Subramanium, CM’s chief security officer A S J Wesley besides the pilots. Based on documentary evidence gathered by the team which includes Chief Secretary P Ramakanth Reddy, Director General of Police S S P Yadav, Additional DGP (Intelligence) K Aravinda Rao and Home Secretary Ajay Misra, the report says:
• The tour programme to Chittoor of Y S Rajasekhara Reddy was informed at 11:30 am on August 31 by the Andhra Pradesh Aviation Corporation to the two pilots and Maintenance Wing (Hangar). Thereafter, the Aircraft Maintenance Engineer of Bell-430 Helicopter after conducting tests confirmed that the chopper was fit for flight and got valid Certificate of Release to Service (CRS) and also the CRS to radio equipment, including Emergency Locator Transmitter and Cockpit Voice Recorder which are valid up to December 5.
• The team found records to prove that five personnel of the City Armed Reserve Police guard the helicopters meant for CM’s use 24 hours, seven days a week.
• On September 1, Pilot Group Captain S K Bhatia carried out proficiency check of co-pilot Captain M S Reddy on Bell-430 helicopter. The duration of the flight was 1.15 hours and after flight the pilot had reported that the chopper was fit in all aspects.
09/09/09 Sreenivas Janyala/Indian Express

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