What happened
On February 26, 2022, a Cessna 152 aircraft, registered as VT-FAO, was conducting a solo cross-country training flight under visual flight rules. Operated by M/s Flytech Aviation Academy, the flight departed from Nagarjunasagar Airfield with an intended route over Raichur.
During the return leg of the journey, the student pilot contacted local air traffic control to request a course change back to the airfield. Shortly after this communication, the aircraft's position became uncertain. Radar data indicated that the aircraft's altitude began fluctuating between 3,200 and 3,700 feet before the signal disappeared. Witnesses in the area observed the aircraft flying at a low altitude, maneuvering near electric power transmission towers in search of a suitable place for an emergency landing. The aircraft was seen performing a 180-degree turn and flying over high-tension wires before descending in a nose-down attitude. The aircraft struck the ground near Thungathurthy village, resulting in the fatal injury of the student pilot and the total destruction of the aircraft.
The investigation
AAIB India investigators examined radar data from Hyderabad ATC, which showed the aircraft's transponder information (Mode C) became unreliable and eventually vanished. The investigation also reviewed communications between the student pilot and local ATC. While the pilot had requested to return to the airfield, the controller noted that the pilot failed to acknowledge specific instructions regarding descent and did not respond to subsequent inquiries.
Investigators also analyzed the wreckage and the flight path. The investigation confirmed that the aircraft was flying near a hydroelectric power plant, an area characterized by dense networks of electric power transmission lines. No distress calls were received from the aircraft prior to the impact, and the aircraft's emergency locator transmitter (ELT) failed to transmit a signal to the search-and-rescue satellite system.
Findings
- The aircraft was flying at a very low altitude in close proximity to high-tension electrical infrastructure.
- The pilot attempted to maneuver the aircraft through sections of power lines, likely while searching for a landing site.
- The aircraft struck the ground in a nose-down attitude following a period of low-altitude flight near transmission towers.
- There was a loss of communication between the aircraft and ATC during the final stages of the flight.