Lok Sabha Question No. 3379 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-17
Subject: Crash of Indian Air Force Helicopters
Ministry: DEFENCE
Asked by: Manish Tewari

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF DEFENCE DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3379

TO BE ANSWERED ON 17 th  DECEMBER, 2021

## CRASH OF INDIAN AIR FORCE HELICOPTERS

## 3379. SHRI MANISH TEWARI:

Will the Minister of DEFENCE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether it is a fact that at least three Indian Air Force helicopters have crash landed since August this year, killing and injuring multiple personnel;
- (b) if so, the details of similar incidents over the last five years including the details of personnel who were injured or lost their lives;
- (c)  whether  it  is  a  fact  that  one  Captain  and  Lieutenant  Colonel  lost  their  lives  after  their helicopter Rudra-WSI crash landed in Ranjeet Sagar Dam on 3rd August, 2021 and if so, the details and the reasons therefor;
- (d) whether it is a fact that Rudra-WSI is not meant to fly over water at low-altitudes, and yet it was ordered to do regular sorties over the vast Ranjeet Sagar Dam and if so, the reasons thereof; and
- (e)  whether  it  is  a  fact  that  the  pilots  were  not  given  specialized  training  required  to  fly  over water, if so, the reasons therefor and the corrective measures taken by the Government in this regard?

## A    N    S    W    E    R

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

(SHRI AJAY BHATT)

(a) & (b): No, Sir.  Only two Indian Air Force Helicopters have crash landed since August this year.  Details  of  all  Helicopter  Accidents  in  last  five  years  in  all  three  services  are  appended below:-

| Date of Accident   | Type of Helicopter                 | Number of persons killed/injured   | Service          |
|--------------------|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|------------------|
| 8 th Dec 2021      | Mi-17 V5                           | 14/ Nil                            | Indian Air Force |
| 18 th Nov 2021     | Mi-17 Helicopter                   | Nil/ 01                            | Indian Air Force |
| 21 st Sep 2021     | Cheetah                            | 02/ Nil                            | Indian Army      |
| 3 rd Aug 2021      | ALH WSI                            | 02/ Nil                            | Indian Army      |
| 25 th Jan 2021     | ALH Weapon System Integrated (WSI) | 1 /1                               | Indian Army      |
| 9 th May 2020      | ALH                                | Nil/ 05                            | Indian Army      |
| 24 th Oct 2019     | ALH                                | Nil/09                             | Indian Army      |
| 27 th Sep 2019     | Cheetah                            | 02 / Nil                           | Indian Army      |
| 10 th Apr 2019     | Chetak                             | Nil/ Nil                           | Indian Navy      |
| 23 rd May 2018     | Cheetah                            | Nil/02                             | Indian Air Force |
| 3 rd April 2018    | Mi-17 V5                           | Nil/Nil                            | Indian Air Force |
| 6 th Oct 2017      | Mi-17 V5                           | 07/Nil                             | Indian Air Force |
| 5 th Sep 2017      | ALH                                | Nil/02                             | Indian Army      |
| 4 th Jul 2017      | ALH                                | 03 /Nil                            | Indian Air Force |
| 15 th Mar 2017     | Cheetah                            | Nil/Nil                            | Indian Air Force |

- (c) & (d):  Yes, Sir. Lt Col A S Bath and Capt Jayant Joshi lost their lives after their helicopter Rudra-WSI crash landed in Ranjeet Sagar Dam on 3 rd August 2021. There is no restriction on the helicopter flying over  water.    However,  low  flying  over  water  needs  specific authorisation.  A Court of Inquiry has been ordered to investigate the crash.
- (e) The training has been structured to meet the operational requirements. However, operations over  large  expanse  of  water  are  restricted  and  generally  a  fraction  of  the  total  overall  flying. Nevertheless, all recommendations of the Court of Inquiry are implemented to avoid recurrence of accidents.

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