Pardafas Reporter
Indian CDS Late General Bipin RawatPhoto: Indian Army
A Tri-Services Court of Inquiry into the India's Mi-17 V5 crash on 08 Dec 21 which has killed the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Bipin Rawat and 12 others, has submitted its preliminary findings.
As per Press Bureau of India the inquiry team analyzed the Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder besides questioning all available witnesses to determine the most probable cause of the accident.
The press release citing the Ministry of Defence said that the Court of Inquiry has ruled out mechanical failure, sabotage or negligence as a cause of the accident.
“The accident was a result of entry into clouds due to unexpected change in weather conditions in the valley,” the press release reads. Citing the court it further said, “this led to spatial disorientation of the pilot resulting in Controlled Flight into Terrain (CFIT).”
CFIT is a term used to describe an aircraft impacting ground while the pilots are in full control of the machine. Similarly, spatial disorientation is the inability of a pilot to correctly interpret an aircraft’s attitude, attitude or airspeed in relation to the earth or other points of reference. It is most critical at night, or in poor weather, when there is no visible horizon. Pilot’s vision is considered the dominant sense of orientation in choppers.
Based on its findings, the Court of Inquiry has made certain recommendations which are being reviewed.
