The action taken reports (ATRs) on the recommendations of three committees constituted by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Central Bureau of Investigation and the State government for ascertaining the reasons for crash of helicopter leading to the death of former Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy were placed before the Cabinet on Friday.
Disclosing this at a media briefing after the Cabinet meeting, Information and Public Relations Minister D. K. Aruna said that all the three committees which investigated the accident had ruled out any conspiracy. They said the death of YSR and four others aboard the Bell-420 Helicopter on September 2, 2009 was due to error of judgement by the pilot.
YSR was on his way to attend ‘Rachabanda’ in Chittoor when the aircraft caught in inclement weather crashed in Nallamala forest at Chiruthagundam of Atmakur mandal in Kurnool district.
The Cabinet also approved to place the reports of R. K. Tyagi Committee and high level expert committee appointed by the State government in public domain, after placing the same before the Legislature, if necessary.
The four-member committee constituted by Civil Aviation Ministry and headed by R. K.Tyagi, Chairman and Managing Director, Pawan Hans Helicopter Ltd., after due enquiry concluded that the probable cause of accident was “due to the loss of control resulting in uncontrolled descent in the terrain at a very high rate of descent due to the entry into severe down draft”.
The CBI which investigated into the accident ruled out any sabotage and criminal conspiracy. The crash could have been averted had the pilots taken a decision to terminate the journey in view of adverse weather conditions. It listed out certain lapses and made some suggestions to the Centre and State government.
The high level expert committee constituted by the State government also went into all aspects prior to and including the incident of copter crash and made various recommendations.
Ms. Aruna said a committee of officers headed by the Chief Secretary pursued follow up action on the recommendations made by the three committees on September 10, 2012. The committee placed its report before the Council of Ministers on Friday.
