2015 Indian Border Security Force King Air crash

2015 Indian Border Security Force King Air crash

A Beechcraft Super King Air similar to the crashed aircraft
Accident
Date	22 December 2015(2015-12-22)
Summary	Pilot errorleading tospatial disorientationandloss of control
Site	Indira Gandhi International Airport,Delhi,India
Total fatalities	10
Total injuries	1
Aircraft
Aircraft type	Beechcraft Super King Air 200
Operator	Border Security Force
Registration	VT-BSA
Flight origin	Indira Gandhi International Airport,Delhi,India
Destination	Ranchi Airport,Ranchi,India
Occupants	10
Passengers	8
Crew	2
Fatalities	10
Survivors	0
Ground casualties
Ground injuries	1

On 22 December 2015, alight aircraftof the IndianBorder Security Forcecrashed within the grounds ofIndira Gandhi International AirportinDelhi,India. Ten personnel of the Border Security Force, three officers and seven senior technicians, were killed.The 22-year-oldBeechcraft B200 King Airtook off for Ranchi just before 9.30am, before crashing shortly afterwards.The accident was due to pilot error who incorrectly activated the autopilot and failed to take corrective action.

Aircraft & crew

Aircraft

The aircraft involved in the accident was a 22-year-oldBeechcraft B200 King Air,built in July 1994 with the construction number BB-1485. It was powered by twoturbopropPratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-42engines, registered with the callsign N1509X.It was delivered to Rageflyers Inc. on 15 May 1995. The aircraft was ultimately sold to the IndianBorder Security Forceon 3 August 1995.

Crew

Thecaptainwas 38-year-old Commandant Bhagwati Prasad Bhatt, thepilot flying.He had logged a total of 964,50 flight hours including 764 on the Beechcraft B200 King Air, of which 77 hours were aspilot in command.The co-pilot was 38-year-old Commandant Rajesh Shivrain who was thePilot monitoring(PM). He had logged a total of 891 flight hours including 691 on the same model, of which 196,35 were as pilot in command.

Accident

After the aircraft's engines were started the crew reported that there was a problem (the nature of which has not been reported), but continued with the flight after receiving advice fromground staff.The aircraft took off at 9:27am local time with an expected arrival time atRanchiof 12:00pm.

Soon after taking off, the crew informed air traffic control that something was wrong and that they would return to Delhi. The pilots were then cleared to make an emergency landing on Delhi's Runway 28.At 9:40 AM, contact was lost with the aircraft. The plane then veered to the left, narrowly missing a village. It brushed a tree before hitting the perimeter wall of the airport and crashed into asewage treatment plantwithin the airport complex. The aircraft then caught fire and was destroyed. All ten occupants were killed and another on the ground was injured.

Victims

In addition to the two pilots, there were 8 other occupants, all of whom died in the crash. Seven bodies were found in a water tank while the remaining 3 were found outside. All the occupants wereIndianand were paramilitary technicians on their way toRanchi.

Probable cause

On 15 August 2017, the IndianAircraft Accident Investigation Bureau(AAIB) released its final report, stating that the probable cause of the incident was pilot error. It was found that the autopilot was activated without a heading selected immediately after takeoff. The plane then banked to the left and the pilots did not take any corrective action. The plane then made a 180° turn, entering a sharp left bank that resulted in an impact with the ground.

External links

• Final report of the accident
• Accident descriptionat theAviation Safety Network