Initial reports from India on the Pawan Hans AS350B3 crash on 30th April are pointing to the aircraft being only VFR equipped and thus unable to handle IMC conditions.  However, weather conditions were reportedly not conducive to VFR operations in the accident which claimed the lives of Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu and four others.  A full investigation has been launched with a three-member Committee of Inquiry headed by Air Marshal (Retd) P S Ahluwalia.

Pawan Hans officials have also stated that Capt T S Malik and Capt J S Babbar, who flew the ill-fated aircraft, were experienced pilots having over 4,000 hours and 3,200 hours of flying hours respectively.  Additionally, this was a new aircraft, having only been delivered to Pawan Hans in December 2010.

see also HeliHub.com accident page for this event – 30-Apr-11 VT-PHT Eurocopter AS350B3 Kyela, India (5F)

Jeremy Parkin – HeliHub.com