Pilot error most common cause behind aircraft crash fatalities since 2014

Out of the 19 accidents that were reported in the last eight years, six took place in Maharashtra of which, four occurred in Mumbai.

Source: RTI reply by AAIB

Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh reported two accidents each while Karnataka, Arunachal Pradesh, J&K, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Odisha, Kerala, UP and Chhattisgarh reported one crash each.

Source: RTI reply by AAIB

Among operators, government-owned-helicopter service provider Pawan Hans saw three aircraft crashes, the highest, which resulted in six fatalities.

Most (five) of these 19 crashes took place in 2015, followed by 2020 (four), and 2019 and 2018 (two each).

Investigation reports available on AAIB website show that the most common possible cause behind these crashes was pilot error. Probe reports of about eight of these accidents indicate an error on the part of the pilot while operating or troubleshooting during a crisis.

“The aircraft stalled, impacted the ground and nose rolled over due to erroneous steep left turn by pilot while practicing simulated engine failure, with throttle in idle position,” said the probe report on the accident that took place on November 19, 2014, involving Cessna 152 that resulted in one death.

“The accident was caused due to engagement of the autopilot without selecting the heading mode by the flight crew just after liftoff (before attaining sufficient height) in poor foggy conditions and not taking corrective action to control the progressive increase in left bank,” says another report on the December 22, 2015 accident involving B200 model operated by Border Security Force which resulted in two deaths.

Probe reports on three incidents mention not following SOP (standard operating procedure) was among the reasons behind those accidents.

Bad weather played a crucial role in two of these accidents while another two occurred due to technical failure. Bird strike and inadequate helipad arrangements were among the other possible reasons behind the accidents while the causes of five crashes were unknown, due to a likely non-completion of probe.