Latest news with #RPSSodhi
NDTV
21 hours ago
- NDTV
Aviation Watchdog To Probe Highway Landing Of Chopper Headed To Kedarnath
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation will carry out an investigation into the emergency landing made by a private helicopter carrying pilgrims to Kedarnath. The chopper landed on a highway near the Bharasu helipad in Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag district on Saturday afternoon due to a suspected technical fault, and all passengers on board are safe, said officials. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) was informed of the incident. A team from the Directorate of Air Safety (North Region) is being dispatched to the site for an on-ground assessment of the aircraft and the cause of the malfunction. Officials said the helicopter has been secured at the site and further investigation will reveal the exact cause of the suspected control malfunction. Soon after take-off, the pilot, Captain RPS Sodhi, detected a suspected malfunction in the helicopter's collective control - a critical component that manages the aircraft's lift. In response, he executed a precautionary hard landing on a road just below the Bharasu helipad. According to Uttarakhand ADG (Law and Order) Dr V Murugesan, all passengers on board are safe. The pilot reported a backache after the landing and was taken to a hospital for evaluation. "There is no report of any casualties. The situation was handled efficiently, and the pilot made a safe landing," he said. The CEO of the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA) confirmed that the helicopter, while flying from Sirsi with passengers, opted to land on a road near the helipad instead of returning to or landing on the designated helipad itself. The helicopter, an AW119 operated by Kestrel Aviation Private Limited (registration VT-RNK), is a single-engine model designed for high-altitude operations. It is part of the fleet used for shuttle services to Kedarnath during the annual Char Dham Yatra. These services are especially vital during peak pilgrimage season, allowing devotees to access the Himalayan shrine with relative ease and speed. The UCADA CEO confirmed that all other helicopter operations to Kedarnath are proceeding as per schedule and there has been no disruption.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Chopper makes emergency landing on road near Kedarnath; pilot injured, 5 passengers safe
Dehradun: A private helicopter carrying five pilgrims to Kedarnath crash-landed on a highway near Badasu in Rudraprayag district on Saturday afternoon after a suspected technical snag jammed its flight control and the rotor broke during the landing and hit a nearby car. The pilot sustained minor injuries during the landing and was taken to hospital. The Kestrel Aviation AW119 chopper, piloted by Captain RPS Sodhi, took off from Sirsi helipad at 12:52pm — one of the key take-off points for Kedarnath pilgrims along with Phata and Guptkashi. Soon after departure, the pilot noticed a malfunction with the collective control and executed a controlled force landing on the road near the helipad. Officials said that within minutes of take-off, the chopper developed a technical snag, forcing the pilot to make an emergency landing on Kedarnath National Highway. During the landing, the tail of the chopper broke off and struck a parked car, damaging it. The helicopter's landing on the main road caused a traffic pile-up in the area. An official communication from the state govt said, "The CEO of the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (Ucada) informed us that the helicopter made a precautionary landing on the road, instead of the helipad, while taking off with passengers from Sirsi. There are no reports of any casualties. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has been notified and the rest of the shuttle operations are proceeding as scheduled. " Upon receiving information about the incident, the administration dispatched a team to remove the helicopter from the road and resume traffic on the route. Rahul Chaubey, district tourism development officer and nodal officer for the heli service, said, "The pilot detected the issue in time and made an emergency landing on a nearby empty road. All five passengers on board the helicopter are safe, while the pilot suffered minor injuries. " He confirmed that the incident has not affected the heli shuttle service. Uttarakhand tourism minister Satpal Maharaj said, "The way the pilot detected the fault in time and managed an emergency landing on a nearby empty road suggests that if the pilot hadn't landed the helicopter on the road, the accident could have been severe. However, the govt will definitely investigate the reason behind this emergency landing." This was the fourth helicopter-related mishap on the Char Dham route in the past 30 days. On May 8, a chopper crash near Gangotri left six dead. On May 12, a helicopter blade hit a vehicle at Badrinath helipad, and on May 15, an air ambulance's tail hit the ground while landing near Kedarnath. All onboard were safe. General secretary of Uttarakhand Char Dham Teerth Purohit Mahapanchayat, Brijesh Sati, told TOI, "At present, nine heli firms are operating on the Kedarnath route. In last 40 days, there have been six major and minor incidents involving helicopters. The heli service is being used like taxi service in cities." He demanded that, "a detailed probe should be conducted to find out whether the norms are being followed. The focus is on dropping and picking pilgrims in quick time and it has been seen that helicopters operate in unfavourable condition. There should be a thorough probe." Earlier, a chopper crash near Gangotri on May 8 had led to five pilgrims and the pilot dying. On May 12, a rotating chopper blade hit a vehicle at the Badrinath helipad in what could have been a major accident. On May 17, a chopper functioning as an air ambulance of AIIMS Rishikesh crash-landed in Kedarnath. No casualties were reported and all three persons – the pilot, a doctor and nursing staff – were safe in the mishap reported close to the Kedarnath helipad. The spate of accidents has raised safety concerns, prompting DGCA — India's aviation regulatory body under the ministry of civil aviation, responsible for regulating civil aviation safety, issuing licences, certifying aircraft and operators, and investigating aviation incidents and accidents — to begin formal investigations into these events and improve safety protocols.
NDTV
a day ago
- General
- NDTV
Chopper To Kedarnath Makes Emergency Landing On Highway, Passengers Safe
Kedarnath: A helicopter, with five passengers onboard, made an emergency landing in the middle of a highway on today. The chopper, which was owned by Kestrel Aviation Private Limited, was en route from Rudraprayag to Kedarnath in Uttarakhand. The chopper took off at 12:52 pm from the Badasu (Sersi) helipad and landed immediately at the main road in Guptkashi, Rudraprayag district. It experienced a technical snag during take-off, with the collective control getting stuck. The pilot, Captain RPS Sodhi, landed the chopper on the highway adjacent to the helipad to avoid any mishaps. In the video, released by news agency ANI on X (formerly known as Twitter), we can see the helicopter parked in the middle of a road with locals rushing towards the site. A car was damaged in the incident. The pilot sustained minor injuries during the emergency landing and was taken to the hospital, district tourism development officer Rahul Chaubey said. All passengers are safe and unharmed, Mr Chaubey added. Speaking to ANI, Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority said that the rest of the shuttle services are proceeding as normal. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DCGA) has been informed about the matter, UCADA added. According to the DGCA, Kestrel Aviation's AW119 (Reg. VT-RNK) helicopter made a hard landing on the road. 'A team from DAS(NR) is being sent for onsite assessment,' the agency said. This is the latest in a string of helicopter-related incidents reported on the Chardham Yatra route in the past month. A few weeks earlier, an air ambulance helicopter made an emergency landing in Kedarnath due to a technical snag. The chopper reportedly suffered a malfunction in its tail rotor, leading to difficulties in landing. The ambulance had come to Kedarnath to rescue a pilgrim who was reportedly suffering from respiratory distress. The 'Sanjeevani' helicopter ambulance was operated by the Rishikesh branch of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), as reported by news agency PTI. Two doctors and the pilot inside the craft were safe, district tourism development officer Rahul Chaubey said. On May 8, six people, including a pilot, died after their helicopter crash near Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi. The chopper was flying from Dehradun to Harsil helipad. Five of the people who lost their lives were female tourists- Kala Soni (61), Vijaya Reddy (57), Ruchi Aggarwal (56), Radha Aggarwal (79) and Vedavati Kumari (48).
New Indian Express
a day ago
- General
- New Indian Express
Helicopter en route to Kedarnath crashlands on highway in Rudraprayag; all six passengers safe
NEW DELHI: A helicopter en route to Kedarnath made an emergency landing on a highway in Rudraprayag district on Saturday after developing a technical issue during takeoff from the Sirsi helipad in Uttarakhand. A portion of the aircraft crashed into an empty stationary car below. All six people on board the private aircraft, including the pilot, are reported to be safe. This is the latest in a series of accidents involving helicopter trips along the Char Dham route in recent times. The helicopter (AW 119) operated by Kestrel Aviation took off at 12.52 pm from the helipad in Badasu area in Rudraprayag district. "Following a technical emergency on board, the pilot has landed it on the road with its tail getting damaged due to a collision with a stationary car on the road, said a source. The car has been smashed badly too." An official communication from the State government said, "All the five passengers on board are safe. The pilot has sustained minor injuries." The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said in a statement that the helicopter, piloted by Captain RPS Sodhi, experienced a hard landing on the road adjacent to the helipad immediately after takeoff.
New Indian Express
a day ago
- General
- New Indian Express
Helicopter en route to Kedarnath crashlands on highway in Rudraprayag; no injuries reported
NEW DELHI: A helicopter en route to Kedarnath made an emergency landing on a highway in Rudraprayag district on Saturday after developing a technical issue during takeoff from the Sirsi helipad in Uttarakhand. A portion of the aircraft crashed into an empty stationary car below. All six people on board the private aircraft, including the pilot, are reported to be safe. This is the latest in a series of accidents involving helicopter trips along the Char Dham route in recent times. The helicopter (AW 119) operated by Kestrel Aviation took off at 12.52 pm from the helipad in Badasu area in Rudraprayag district. "Following a technical emergency on board, the pilot has landed it on the road with its tail getting damaged due to a collision with a stationary car on the road, said a source. The car has been smashed badly too." An official communication from the State government said, "All the five passengers on board are safe. The pilot has sustained minor injuries." The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said in a statement that the helicopter, piloted by Captain RPS Sodhi, experienced a hard landing on the road adjacent to the helipad immediately after takeoff.
