CHANDIGARH: Ten days after aviation authorities issued an airworthiness certificate to it, a Punjab government helicopter crashed at Chandigarh's civil airport on Thursday. The helicopter crashed barely 30 minutes before it was to fly state industries and local bodies minister Manoranjan Kalia to Mukerian in Hoshiarpur district to attend a public function. The Pawan Hans helicopter crashed shortly after refuelling, but two pilots on board Manreet Singh Brar and Surinderpal Singh Brar escaped unhurt.
The helicopter had flown deputy chief minister Sukhbir Badal on Wednesday. It had been leased to the Punjab government for the last three years.
The Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has ordered an inquiry into the crash. Its three-member team, which reached the crash site in the afternoon, is expected to release a preliminary report on Friday. Operations at the airport came to a halt for almost an hour, where the glass wall of departure lounge broke due to the impact.
Officials said the helicopter, used by VVIPs like the chief minister and his deputy, the governor and other senior ministers, has been "written off completely". In fact, it had just flown in from Kaljharani after an overnight halt there.
According to Chandigarh airport director Capt HS Toor, "The chopper was on a local sortie and lost balance when it was taxiing after refuelling, tilting on its right side." The pilots were rescued by others after breaking its window-panes.
Airport Authority of India's general manager, public relations, GS Bawa told that one of its rotor blades touched the ground, causing it to crash on the bay itself. However, Punjab civil aviation secretary Vishwajeet Khanna maintained that it was undergoing a routine start-up process when it came down from a height of approximately 25-30 ft.
Tej Jauhar, a resident of Sector 8, who had gone to drop his wife at the airport, claimed that the chopper crashed after one of its rotors touched a crane parked near the terminal building. "It turned over several times before coming to rest just outside the departure lounge, he recalled.
Later in the day, the Punjab government issued a statement, describing the incident as a simple accident. The statement, which was reportedly drafted by Khanna, stated that the Pawan Hans helicopter, on lease with Punjab government, met with an accident as it started to taxi at the Chandigarh airport in the morning.
The pilots walked away from the wreckage and suffered minor scratches. They were provided first aid on the spot and then taken to the Command Hospital in Chandimandir, where the doctors declared them to be absolutely fine.
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