Crash of a Beechcraft B200C Super King near Kulu-Bhuntar: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jul 29, 2000 at 1332 LT
Type of aircraft:
Beechcraft 200 Super King Air
Operator:
Aerial Services India
Registration:
VT-EIE
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Ambulance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
New Delhi – Kulu-Bhuntar
MSN:
BL-63
YOM:
1983
Location:
Kulu-Bhuntar
Himachal Pradesh
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Captain / Total flying hours:
8340
Captain / Total hours on type:
776.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
526
Aircraft flight hours:
6243
Aircraft flight cycles:
5646
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft departed New Delhi-Indira Gandhi Airport on an ambulance flight to Kulu-Bhuntar, carrying three doctors and two pilots. While descending to Kulu-Bhuntar Airport in IMC conditions, the crew failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located 20 km from the destination airport. The aircraft was destroyed and all five occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The pilot descended below minimum sector altitude in Instrument Meteorological Condition in hilly area.
Contributing factors were:
1. ATC Chandigarh contributed to the accident by permitting IFR flight to descend below minimum sector altitude.
2. Inadequate Supervision, Lack of Safety culture and poor pre-flight planning. Factor: Pilot: Non-adherence to standard operating procedure.
Final Report:

Crash of a Let L-410UVP-E9D in Kulu: 9 killed

Date & Time: Jul 11, 1996 at 0855 LT
Type of aircraft:
Let L-410
Operator:
Registration:
VT-ETC
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
New Delhi – Shimla – Kulu
MSN:
94 27 03
YOM:
1994
Location:
Kulu-Bhuntar
Himachal Pradesh
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Captain / Total flying hours:
8912
Captain / Total hours on type:
1705.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
1789
Copilot / Total hours on type:
828
Aircraft flight hours:
3297
Aircraft flight cycles:
2556
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Shimla, the crew started the descent to Kulu-Bhuntar Airport in poor visibility due to thick fog. On approach, the aircraft struck trees and crashed in a wooded area located on Mt Bandi. The aircraft was destroyed and all nine occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The was due to a complete lack of safety awareness, proper supervision and operational control in the organisation. The non compliance of safety requirements on part of the operator was a contributing factor.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft 200 Super King Air near Sundar Nagar: 11 killed

Date & Time: Jul 9, 1994 at 0905 LT
Type of aircraft:
Beechcraft 200 Super King Air
Operator:
Registration:
VT-EUJ
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Government
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Chandigarh – Kulu-Bhuntar
MSN:
BB-1456
YOM:
1993
Location:
Sundar Nagar
Himachal Pradesh
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Captain / Total flying hours:
7503
Captain / Total hours on type:
113.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
6412
Copilot / Total hours on type:
46
Aircraft flight hours:
153
Aircraft flight cycles:
186
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft departed Chandigarh Airport at 0850LT on a flight to Kulu-Bhuntar, carrying eight passengers and three crew members, among them Surendra Nath, Governor of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh along with his family members. While in cruising altitude, the crew encountered limited visibility due to cumulus when the aircraft struck trees and rocks and crashed on the slope of a mountain located in the Kamrunag Mountain Range, about 18,5 km southeast of Sundar Nagar, some 50 km south of Kulu-Bhuntar Airport. The aircraft was destroyed and all 11 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was caused due to serious errors on the part of the flight crew by not strictly adhering to the VFR conditions for flight to Bhuntar Airfield. As a result, the aircraft after encountering cumulus clouds enroute, deviated from the pre-determined route and collided with the hilltop covered with clouds.
The contributed factors to the accident were:
- Existence of bad weather enroute with cumulus clouds in layers covering the hill tops;
- Pilots not conversant with the topography of the mountains in the region;
- Failure on the part of the flight crew not to refer and follow the maps of the region;
- Mental pressure on the pilot-in-command to complete the flight in time with a view to meet the subsequent flight commitments;
- Failure on the part of the copilot to bring out flight deviations to the notice of the commander,
- Disregard of procedures, regulations and instructions on part of the pilot,
- Operational decision.
Final Report:
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