The Indian Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has published its final investigation report into the March 6, 2009 crash of the second Saras prototype (photo). The comprehensive 75-page report has come out with highly damning findings not just about Pratt & Whitney’s inexplicable failure to convey enough about the engine to the aircraft’s maker, the National Aerospace Laboratory (NAL), but has also indicted faulty procedures at NAL and the IAF’s Aircraft & Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE), serious controllability issues of the platform itself and several other lapses on virtually every front. Disturbing read.SARAS CRASH REPORT: Pratt & Whitney Partially To Blame, NAL & IAF Messed Up Too
The Indian Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has published its final investigation report into the March 6, 2009 crash of the second Saras prototype (photo). The comprehensive 75-page report has come out with highly damning findings not just about Pratt & Whitney’s inexplicable failure to convey enough about the engine to the aircraft’s maker, the National Aerospace Laboratory (NAL), but has also indicted faulty procedures at NAL and the IAF’s Aircraft & Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE), serious controllability issues of the platform itself and several other lapses on virtually every front. Disturbing read.
Wow! Sounds like a pretty comprehensive report. Congratulations to the people who have put together this fantastic investigative effort.
My condolences to the families of the deceased pilots. Looks like an honest mistake on the parts of the pilot and the flight controllers.
You can almost feel the tension in the cockpit when you read this report. Poor pilot P1! To have so many people telling him what to do… Guys, if you want to know what it must feel like to be a test pilot, read this report. The last few seconds, the pilot is saying "F…., F…., F…., F…." and 10 seconds before the crash "Aircraft has departed, aircraft going to ground".
I am not at all a technical guy and know very little about the plane design but Saras design seems to be bit old and does not look dynamic. Will it be used for defence purposes or just for civilian use?
thanks for linking this report. was searchnig for this since morning.
thnx