Mechanical fault, human error or weather change?: What caused chopper crash in Gangotri that killed 5 Char Dham pilgrims & pilot

DEHRADUN: The aircraft accident investigation bureau, under directions from DGCA, has launched an inquiry into what caused the fatal crash of a helicopter ferrying six passengers to Gangotri shrine on Thursday. Whether it was mechanical failure, human error, or a sudden change in weather will be central to the probe.Five passengers and the pilot were killed.Among the six victims were Dr Kala Soni, 61, and Ruchi Agarwal, 56, both residents of Powai; and Ruchi’s mother, Radha Agarwal, 79, originally from Bareilly, who had been staying with her daughter in Powai. The aircraft was piloted by Captain Robin Singh, 60, a seasoned flyer from Gujarat.The helicopter, a Bell 407 operated by Ahmedabad-based Aero Trans Service Pvt Ltd, began its journey at Sahastradhara helipad in Dehradun early on Thursday morning. It dropped off a group of pilgrims at Kharsali near Yamunotri. After refuelling and preparing for the next phase, it lifted off from Kharsali with its second batch of passengers — bound for Harsil, from where pilgrims are taken to the Gangotri shrine.The crash happened at a time when the India Meteorological Department had issued a weather alert for May 7 and 8 in Uttarkashi district. However, what happened between take-off and the crash is still unclear. Initial accounts suggest the aircraft, nearing Harsil, veered off course and lost altitude suddenly. It struck the hillside near the Gangnani Nagraja temple and tumbled down an almost 250-metre gorge.Within minutes of the crash, villagers, many of whom had seen or heard the impact, alerted authorities. Personnel from the Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and Uttarkashi police soon reached the site for a rescue operation. Two helicopters stood by at Bhatwari helipad, which had been activated immediately for emergency use.Vinod Kumar Suman, secretary of disaster management and rehabilitation, said that the state’s emergency operations centre used geolocation data to pinpoint the crash site.Aero Trans Service Pvt Ltd, which owns the chopper, operates two Bell helicopters and one Cessna aircraft as per its website. The company has not released a statement.CM Pushkar Singh Dhami issued a message of condolence and instructed district officials to extend full support to the victims’ families. But beyond official reactions, the crash has raised fresh alarm over the risks of chopper travel in the Himalayas, particularly during the highpressure Char Dham season, when demand surges and there are virtually back-to-back sorties throughout the day.