Uttarkashi Helicopter Crash: Striking Fibre Cable Caused Fatal Accident, Says Report

The preliminary report by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has confirmed that the tragic helicopter crash in Uttarkashi on May 8 was caused when the aircraft hit an overhead fibre cable during an emergency landing attempt.

The Bell 407 helicopter, operated by Aerotrans Services Pvt Ltd, was flying from Kharsali helipad near Yamunotri to Jhala helipad near Gangotri. Around 8:35 am, after about 20 minutes in the air, the chopper began descending and the pilot tried to make an emergency landing near Gangnani on the Uttarkashi–Gangotri road.

The 59-year-old pilot, with over 6,000 hours of flying experience, was attempting to bring the aircraft down when the main rotor struck a fibre cable running parallel to the road. The helicopter lost control, crashed, and tumbled down a hillside, finally coming to rest against a tree about 250 feet into a gorge. All six people onboard were killed.

The AAIB report also mentioned that both the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Canada’s Transportation Safety Board (TSB) have assigned representatives and technical advisors to assist in the ongoing investigation. Officials are currently reviewing records from various stakeholders to determine the full cause of the crash.

This was one of five helicopter incidents reported on the Char Dham route within a span of six weeks. The most recent occurred on June 15 near Kedarnath, where seven people, including a two-year-old girl, lost their lives in another crash.

In response, the Uttarakhand government formed a committee led by Home Secretary Shailesh Bagauli to create a standard operating procedure (SOP) for helicopter operations in the region. The committee is expected to submit its recommendations by August 15.

Despite the safety concerns, a helicopter from Heritage Aviation reportedly flew from Dehradun’s Sahastradhara helipad to Kedarnath on July 14 at 5:15 pm, ignoring a bad weather warning. The Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA) has launched an investigation into the incident.

The Char Dham pilgrimage route sees heavy helicopter traffic every year, as thousands of devotees travel to the high-altitude shrines in the Himalayas. The recent accidents have raised serious questions about flight safety in the region’s difficult terrain and unpredictable weather.