Panels to probe BSF plane, Katra chopper crash in 6 months

The two committees, formed to investigate the crash of a BSF plane and helicopter in Katra, have been given six months to submit their reports.
A four-member Committee of Inquiry will investigate and determine the causes and contributory factors leading to the crash of a Border Security Force (BSF) Super King Air B200 aircraft after taking off from Palam airport here last month, official sources said.
All 10 people on board the plane, which was to go to Ranchi, were killed in the accident that took place shortly after it take-off on December 22, 2015.
The Committee will be headed by by R S Passi, Deputy Director of Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and will have Captain Anant Sethi, Chief Pilot of Madhya Pradesh government, K Ramachandra, Air Safety of AAIB and Raje Bhatnagar of AAIB as its members.

Three-member Committee, headed by Yash Pall, former Deputy General Manager (Maintenance) of Pawan Hans Helicopters Limited, will investigate the chopper crash in Jammu and Kashmir's Katra in November last year.
Seven people, including a woman pilot and a newly-wed couple, were killed when a chopper ferrying them to base camp of over 700-year-old Vaishnodevi shrine on November 23.

The Ecureuil AS350 B3 helicopter was being operated by Himalayan Heli Services Pvt Ltd to ferry pilgrims between Katra's base camp and 'Sanjhi Chhat' helipad at the shrine.
Both the Committees will make recommendations to avoid recurrence of such accidents in future, the sources said.

The Committees can also take the assistance of other experts or agencies whenever required. They will complete its inquiry and submit its report to the central government preferably within six months, they said.
The panels, formed late last month, will submit their report in June, the sources said.