Kanpur plane crash: No distress call, flight-monitoring gaps emerge in AAIB probe

NEW DELHI: The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has found that Garg Aviation did not fully follow required flight-monitoring procedures before its training aircraft crashed near Kanpur on August 27, killing an instructor and a trainee pilot.The seven-page preliminary report also recommends that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation issue clearer guidelines on how Flying Training Organisations should monitor flight data.The Tecnam P2006T twin-engine aircraft crashed near the Ganga Barrage less than 20 minutes after taking off from Kanpur's civil aerodrome. The 39-year-old instructor and 28-year-old trainee were killed.No records of flight-data checksAAIB said Garg Aviation told investigators that it carried out random checks of data from the aircraft's Garmin system. However, the operator could not provide records of those checks and did not have a Standard Operating Procedure explaining how the monitoring was conducted or what limits would trigger further action."When queried on flight data monitoring, the FTO stated that random monitoring of Garmin data was being carried out; however, no records of such monitoring were maintained, and there was no SOP defining how the monitoring was conducted or what exceedance limits were considered for it," AAIB said.The Garmin data card acts as a type of flight-data recorder for small aircraft. AAIB said interim safety recommendations were necessary and called for stricter compliance with flight-data monitoring requirements."Further, DGCA may issue specific guidelines detailing the procedure to be followed for flight data monitoring, which shall be made part of the TPM," the probe agency said. TPM refers to the Training and Procedure Manual.Aircraft stopped responding after final radio callThe aircraft, registered as VT-NBV, took off at around 11.11 am on August 27. About 14 minutes later, it made a radio call saying operations were normal and that it would contact the controller again after 10 minutes.That call never came."No further call was received from VT-NBV thereafter. The RT controller attempted to contact VT-NBV but received no response," AAIB said.The aircraft had no distress call before the crash. Garg Aviation was informed at around 12.10 pm that the plane had force-landed in the Ganga Barrage area, after which the company's team went to the site.AAIB said local residents had reported the crash through the 112 emergency helpline. Police and ambulance teams reached the site and took both occupants to a hospital in Kanpur, where they were declared dead.Engines and flight data being examinedInvestigators have recovered the Garmin data card from the wreckage and downloaded its information for analysis. Both engines have also been recovered and quarantined for detailed examination."Both engines have been retrieved and quarantined for further detailed examination. The investigation team is coordinating with the OEM for further examination," it said. OEM refers to Original Equipment Manufacturer.The investigation also involves Italy's ANSV and the US National Transportation Safety Board, which have each appointed an accredited representative. Tecnam has also provided a technical adviser.AAIB has sought documents relating to the aircraft and its operating crew from the DGCA as the investigation continues.The crash occurred at Kanpur's civil aerodrome, an uncontrolled aerodrome managed and maintained by the Airports Authority of India. An uncontrolled aerodrome does not have an operating control tower.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.