Mi-17 V5 crash that killed CDS Gen Bipin Rawat caused by 'human error', confirms defence report

The Mi-17 V5 crash remains one of the deadliest aviation accidents in India’s military history, leaving behind a lasting impact on the armed forces and the nation.

A Standing Committee on Defence report tabled in the Lok Sabha the day before yesterday has stated that the Mi-17 V5 helicopter crash on December 8, 2021, which claimed the lives of Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat, and 10 others, occurred due to "Human Error (Aircrew)". The crash, which also killed Group Captain Varun Singh, the sole survivor of the incident, was attributed to the pilot's spatial disorientation after entering clouds caused by an unexpected change in weather conditions.

Air crashes numbers (yes reasons get published and yes IAF is transparent) pic.twitter.com/RblD7rpwce

Alpha Defense (@alpha_defense) December 19, 2024

According to the report, the Mi-17 V5, carrying General Rawat and other personnel, crashed near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu after taking off from Sulur Air Force base. The aircraft was en route to the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington. Preliminary findings from the inquiry team revealed that the crash occurred as a result of the pilot's loss of control due to a Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) after entering cloud cover.

The report also highlighted that "Human Error (Aircrew)" was the most frequent cause of accidents during the Thirteenth Defence Plan period (2017-2022), accounting for 16 out of 34 recorded accidents, including this tragic incident.