The BELL 407 helicopter, operated by Aerotrans Services Pvt Ltd., was flying on a Char Dham Yatra charter route when it descended from its assigned altitude and attempted an emergency landing on National Highway 34. According to the AAIB, the aircraft’s main rotor blade struck a fiber cable running parallel to the road, causing the helicopter to veer off course, hit roadside barricades, and tumble roughly 250 feet down a hillside before coming to rest against a tree.
The pilot and five passengers were killed in the crash. One passenger sustained serious injuries. Notably, there was no post-impact fire, although the aircraft was destroyed, AAIB said in its prelim report.
The helicopter had departed Sahastradhara helipad at 7:45 a.m. and made a scheduled stop at Kharsali, where a new group of six pilgrims boarded for the next leg to Jhala. It took off again at 8:11 a.m. The crash occurred approximately 20 minutes later, as the aircraft approached the Uttarkashi-Gangotri stretch near Gangnani.
The 59-year-old pilot, with over 6,160 hours of flying time, was operating the flight alone. Records show he held a valid Airline Transport Pilot License and medical certification. Pre-flight inspections were conducted earlier that day by a certified Aircraft Maintenance Engineer, who reported no discrepancies.
The AAIB noted that the helicopter’s last recorded defect—“surface skin peeled at the tail rotor tip”—had been addressed just two days before the crash, with the damaged part replaced and the aircraft cleared for service.The investigation team has since visited the crash site, collected perishable evidence, interviewed eyewitnesses and responders, and recovered key components of the wreckage for detailed analysis, the AAIB report said.
