Uttarkashi chopper crash: Main rotor blade struck overhead cable, pilot tried to land, says AAIB report

As many as six people, including the pilot, was killed in the crash while one of the passengers sustained serious injuries.

Preliminary Report on VT-OXF by vibha.madhava on Scribd

Here are the major takeaways from the AAIB report:

📌On May 8, the helicopter took-off at 5.39 hours IST from Sahastradhara helipad. It was a dual pilot operation. Two pilots (including the examiner pilot) and three passengers were on board.

📌The helicopter landed back at the Sahastradhara helipad at 6:56 hours. The hill familiarization check flight was uneventful and no defect was reported by the pilots.

📌The helicopter’s next flight was scheduled from the Sahastradhara helipad to Kharsali helipad, then to Jhala helipad and then finally to Phata Lower Jamu helipad. The purpose of the flight was Charter flying for Char Dham Yatra.

📌Prior to departure the preflight inspection was carried out by an authorised company.

📌 The helicopter lifted off at 7.45 am from Sahastradhara helipad for Kharsali helipad with six passengers on board.

📌 The helicopter landed at Kharsali helipad and offloaded all onboard passengers and their luggage. Subsequently, a new group of six passengers boarded the helicopter for Jhala Helipad and it took off at 8.11 am.

📌 The helicopter flew for 20 minutes before descending from its assigned altitude.

📌 The pilot tried to land on the Uttarkashi–Gangotri Road (NH 34), near Gangnani in Uttarkashi but the helicopter’s main rotor blade struck an overhead fibre cable running parallel to the road and also damaged some roadside metallic barricades.

📌 The helicopter was unable to land on the highway and tumbled down the hillside. Eventually, it came to a halt after hitting a tree, approximately 250 feet deep into a gorge.

📌 The last Airworthiness Review Certificate (ARC) was issued on October 11, 2024, and is valid up to Oct 10, 2025.