What happened
On September 29, 2013, a Bell 212 helicopter, registration VT-HGB, operated by United Helicharters (P) Ltd., crashed near Tukawade, Thane. The flight departed from Juhu airport at 07:47 IST, destined for Aurangabad, with five people on board, including two crew members and three passengers. The flight was planned under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) at 2000 feet AGL.
During the enroute phase, the aircraft encountered deteriorating weather. While the flight was cleared under Special VFR, the crew faced poor visibility and drizzle. At approximately 08:20 IST, the helicopter struck trees at an altitude of roughly 10 to 12 meters. The impact caused the tail boom to break away and the cockpit to strike the ground with significant force. The engine, main gearbox, and main rotor blades were found 20 meters ahead of the cockpit, having been destroyed by the impact and subsequent fire. All five fatalities occurred during the accident.
The investigation
AAIB India's investigation examined the flight's progression, the aircraft's mechanical state, and the crew's performance. Investigators reviewed the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR), which revealed that the crew was struggling with visibility and terrain recognition. The investigation also looked into the operational pressures, noting that the early departure was driven by the need to meet limited watch hours at the destination airport. Furthermore, the investigation scrutinized the pilot's training, noting that while the aircraft was a variant of the Bell 412, the flight control characteristics differ significantly between the two-bladed and four-bladed models.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the pilot continuing the flight in extremely poor visibility with insufficient ground clearance, leading to spatial disorientation.
- The weather radar was non-functional during the flight, depriving the crew of essential situational awareness.
- The pilot lacked familiarity with the specific terrain and was operating in Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) despite a VFR flight plan.
- The crew's lack of currency on the specific aircraft type contributed to the loss of control.
- The necessity of an early takeoff due to destination airport constraints indirectly contributed to the flight entering hazardous weather conditions.
- The co-pilot was not instrument-rated (IR) and had not undergone specific SVFR training.