What happened
On the morning of the accident, a twin engine aircraft departed from Chandigarh Airport at 08:50 local time, bound for Kulu-Bhuntar. The flight was carrying three crew members and eight passengers. During the cruise phase of the flight, the aircraft encountered cumulus clouds that significantly reduced visibility. While navigating through these conditions, the plane struck trees and rocky terrain on a mountain slope within the Kamrunag Mountain Range. The wreckage was located approximately 18.5 km southeast of Sundar Nagar, roughly 50 km south of its destination. The impact resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft and 11 fatalities.
Findings
The investigation determined that the primary cause of the accident was the flight crew's failure to maintain Visual Flight Rules (VFR) requirements for the route to Bhuntar Airfield. After encountering cloud layers, the aircraft drifted from its intended path and collided with a cloud-covered hilltop. Several contributing factors were identified:
- Presence of adverse weather conditions featuring layered cumulus clouds over mountain peaks.
- Lack of familiarity with the local mountainous topography by the pilots.
- Failure to utilize or follow regional aeronautical charts during flight.
- Pressure on the pilot-in-command to adhere to a strict schedule for subsequent flight duties.
- The co-pilot's failure to alert the commander regarding deviations from the planned route.
- General disregard for established flight procedures, regulations, and instructions.
- Errors in operational decision-making.