What happened
On 16 July 2021, a Tecnam P2008JC aircraft, registration VT-BRP, operated by the Academy of Aviation, was conducting a dual cross-country training flight from Shirpur. The flight, which included one instructor and one student pilot, was following a planned route over Shegaon.
During the flight, while the aircraft was approximately 20 nautical miles from Shirpur, the Chief Flight Instructor (CFI), who was operating a separate aircraft, radioed the crew and instructed them to turn back to the airfield. The crew acknowledged this instruction and initiated a 18/0-degree turn. However, during this maneuver, the aircraft deviated significantly from its assigned track, heading toward the hilly terrain of the Satpura mountain range.
The aircraft subsequently struck trees over a hillside at high speed. The impact was severe enough that the instructor was ejected from the cockpit, while the student pilot lost consciousness. Local villagers discovered the wreckage and rescued the student pilot, who sustained serious injuries, while the instructor suffered fatal injuries.
The investigation
AAIB India's investigation examined the flight history, weather conditions, and organizational oversight. The investigation established that the aircraft had undergone routine maintenance and pre-flight inspections earlier that day. Meteorological reports indicated that weather conditions at the time of the accident were generally favorable, with good visibility and only scattered clouds.
Investigators analyzed the sequence of events following the CFI's instruction to return to base. It was noted that after the crew acknowledged the instruction to turn back, they failed to notify Air Traffic Control (ATC) of their new position or their deviation from the intended route. No distress calls were made prior to the activation of the Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT).
Findings
- The accident was a controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) caused by an abrupt maneuver near high terrain.
- The crew failed to adhere to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) by deviating from the authorized flight path.
- There was a lack of effective supervision and a deficiency in the safety culture within the flying training organization.
- Available technological resources, such as the Garmin G3X system installed in the aircraft, were not utilized for flight monitoring or data collection.
Safety action
Following the investigation, the AAIB has recommended that regulatory authorities advise all Flying Training Organizations to implement stricter mechanisms for the 100% supervision of training sorties. Additionally, recommendations were made to enhance the recording of VHF communications at uncontrolled airfields and to ensure that all training aircraft effectively utilize flight data recording capabilities to improve safety oversight.