Most copter crashes caused by human error: Parrikar

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 3

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today cited human error as the major cause of helicopter accidents in the country. Replying to a question in the Rajya Sabha on the death of Army personnel in helicopter accidents, Parrikar said human error had emerged as the main reason for a majority of helicopter accidents in the past 24 years.

Rejecting the use of phrase “flying coffins” to the aging helicopters being flown in the country, he said as many as 63 per cent helicopter accidents were due to human error.

Parrikar said the government was in process of acquiring new choppers and the HAL Hindustan Aeronautics Limited was also manufacturing the attack version of Dhruv helicopter — the advance light aircraft or the ALH — which is called the Rudra MK-IV.

The Rudra MK-IV, the weaponised version of Dhruv (MKIII) helicopter. is fitted with Day and Night Targeting systems and can carry a mix of weapons (70 rockets, anti-tank missiles, air to air missiles and 20 mm turret gun), providing the required capability to search and destroy any targets.

Reassuring members of the performance of the Dhruv helicopters, he said HAL has been asked to set up two depots for spares.

He said the number of accidents (accounting for all the choppers being currently flown by the Armed Forces) which was one per every 10,000 flying hours around 24 years back, was now down to around 0.33 per 10,000 flying hours.

As per the minister during the 1986-1991 period 21 accidents occurred and during the 1991-96 period six. The number of accidents between 1996-2001 period were 13. The number fell to six during the 2001-2006 period but rose again in 2006-2011 period to 11. During the past four years, seven helicopter accidents have taken place, he said.

“If you see, 63 per cent of these accidents have taken place due to human error,” Parrikar said and added that “standard Operating Procedures are constantly reviewed and stringent training norms followed to minimise accidents.”

During the past six months, five army personnel have lost their lives in two helicopter accidents, with the first occurring in October last year and the other last month. “All crashes are investigated by a Court of Inquiry to find out the cause of accidents and to recommend remedial measures to prevent accidents. Remedial measures suggested by the Court of Inquiry are implemented at various levels,” he added.