What happened
On December 24, 2013, a Diamond DA-40 aircraft, registration VT-FGE, operated by the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Udan Academy (IGRUA), departed Gondia for a solo long-distance navigational training flight. The route was intended to be a non-stop circuit from Gondia to Pachmarhi and back to Gondia. After taking off from Runway 04 at 0709 UTC, the pilot maintained contact with Nagpur ATC briefly to report his position and intended altitude of Flight Level 85.
However, the aircraft disappeared from radar at 0757 UTC, approximately 80 nautical miles from Gondia. After the aircraft failed to return by its estimated time of arrival, search efforts were initiated. On December 25, forest officials discovered the wreckage in a dense jungle area near Sitadontri village in the Chhindwara district. The impact occurred in a hilly region, and the aircraft was completely destroyed. The single fatality was the student pilot, who was operating the aircraft on his first solo long-distance cross-country flight.
The investigation
The investigation by the Committee of Inquiry examined the aircraft's maintenance records, flight logs, and the pilot's previous flight data. Investigators found that the aircraft was airworthy, with all necessary certificates and inspections up to date. The engine was confirmed to have been delivering power at the moment of impact, and the airspeed indicator recorded a speed of 178 knots, which is only achievable in a nose-down configuration with high power.
Analysis of the flight path revealed that the aircraft had deviated 6.18 nautical miles from its cleared track. Furthermore, a review of the pilot's previous solo flights via the Multi-Function Display (MFD) data revealed a pattern of unauthorized low-altitude flying in a nose-down attitude. The investigation also noted that a shift change at the ATC center resulted in a failure to brief the incoming controller regarding the overdue aircraft, which delayed the commencement of search and rescue operations.
Findings
- The pilot deviated from the approved flight plan and engaged in low-altitude flying through hilly terrain.
- The pilot misjudged the height of the tree canopy while attempting to clear obstacles, leading the aircraft to strike the top of a tree at high speed.
- The aircraft was in a nose-down, high-speed condition with the engine producing significant power at the time of the crash.
- A lack of adherence to standard handover procedures by air traffic controllers delayed the identification of the missing aircraft.