This Article is From Apr 14, 2012

Aviation regulator begins probe into emergency landing of chopper

Aviation regulator begins probe into emergency landing of chopper
Bangalore: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) began an inquiry into the emergency landing of a helicopter on the terrace of a five-storey residential apartment building in Bangalore as the chopper was dismantled on Friday.

"The chopper was dismantled and brought down to the ground," an official of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) said.

A DGCA team inspected the site. The pilot of the chopper in his statement had said that engine failure forced him to make the emergency landing.

The helicopter on a training sortie made the emergency landing on the terrace of the building on Thursday. Both the pilot and the trainee on board escaped unhurt.

HAL Rotary Wing Academy's Schweizer-300C helicopter, flown by Air Commodore (Retd) Roj Assey along with trainee Captain Digvijay Singh, took-off at 1430 hours and flew for two hours and 10 minutes before the emergency landing.

There was no damage to the building but the helicopter sustained some damage.

The Air Commodore controlled the helicopter to make an emergency landing atop the building as there was no open place available nearby, where he could have landed immediately.

It was a "very light helicopter" and was about four years old and being used for civilian helicopter training.

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