YSR pilots ignored weather, says probe

The Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) team, which is probing into YSR’s helicopter crash, has found that the flight planning was faulty as the pilots did not review the latest satellite pictures and weather reports before taking off.

The probe team found that though the crew was aware of the poor weather conditions, it did not review the weather situation.

On September 2, the crew obtained a meteorological briefing for the route from Hyderabad to Chittoor from the Aviation Meteorological Services at around 6.30 am. The pilot was briefed about the presence of CB clouds and was shown imagery and a satellite bulletin based on data at 5.30 pm of September 1. Subsequently, satellite pictures at 6.30 am, 7 am and 8 am of September 2 revealed increase in convection and aerial extension.

Possible formation of isolated cumulonimbus (Cb) clouds with base at 750 metre and top height of 9,000 metre along with temporary reduction in visibility was forecast. However, the crew did not review subsequent satellite pictures before departure at 8.29 am. “Due to continuous and fast-changing wind pattern, temperature and humidity, the helicopter operations were affected,” said the DGCA probe.

The report said, “They chose to fly in Instrument Meteorological Conditions whereas the flight was to be conducted as per the Visual Flight Rule.” Cockpit voice record’s showed that the pilots started encountering clouds at about 9.10 am. “They should have diverted to a nearby location or returned to Hyderabad,” the report said.