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Sudden mechanical failure?: The Hindustan Times
New Delhi, Aug 12: The helicopter which crashed in the Arabian sea today, killing 25 officials of the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) belonged to the private operator, Mesco Airlines (MAL), which had launched `Heli Charter Services``.
New Delhi, Aug 12: The helicopter which crashed in the Arabian sea today, killing 25 officials of the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) belonged to the private operator, Mesco Airlines (MAL), which had launched "Heli Charter Services''.
The company, incorporated in August 1991, brought its first Mi-172 helicopter in the late 1994 and immediately inducted it for operation with ONGC. It was the Russian-built 30-seater Mi-172 that went down in today's crash near the Bombay High offshore oil well of ONGC. Mesco happened to be the launch customer of the helicopter, ordering three more in 1995. While two were contracted with ONGC for offshore operations, one Mi-172 was leased out to the Himachal Pradesh Government for the high altitude operations.
Sources in the aviation industry said though the inquiry into the crash would be conducted by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the fact that the helicopter dipped within minutes of take off indicated prima facie that "sudden mechanical failure'' could be the cause of the accident. The helicopter was said to be seven to eight years old and had undergone maintenance checks recently.
The Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Sumitra Mahajan, said three persons had been rescued and the condition of one of them was said to be critical. She said that Navy and Coast Guard were assisting in the rescue operations.
The Mesco crash came close on the heels of a recent accident of another helicopter of the Jammu and Kashmir Government ferrying pilgrims from Amarnath Yatra near Srinagar which had hit a tree in rough weather.
Wing Commander (Retd.) M.Y. Khan of the India International Airways said the news had "perturbed'' aviation circles and added that the inquiry would bring out facts. Nagar V. Sridhar, chief of Pawan Hans Helicopter Limited, said initial reports indicated that passengers and the crew did not even get time to activate their flotation devices.
Mesco also operated 11-seater French medium light class Dauphin helicopter for the offshore role and had won the contract with ONGC, becoming the leading helicopter company in the private sector. It had also inducted both the 11-seater turbo prop and five-seater piston engine Viator and Observor. The company's combined fleet had, by the year 2000, logged over 20,000 hours, all accident free, of these over 10,000 hours were flown in the offshore role, Mesco's official publication said.
The company was promoted by Rita Singh who had unsuccessfully contested Ghaziabad Lok Sabha polls during the P.V. Narasimha Rao regime on the Congress ticket. She was also involved in a CBI case which probed alleged irregularities in the company's steel plant in Orissa.
The company was also involved with agro spraying business with its Hiller helicopters. It boasted of a training facility which had won the approval of the DGCA for one time training of three Mi-172 pilots and five engineers. The airline — a member of the U.S.-based Helicopter Association International (HAI) — was presented with the HAI's Flight Safety Award in 1995.
It also has a contract with the Orissa Government for its Ecureuil helicopter which has been given on lease. The airline has rendered service to the industrialists, Bollywood stars and politicians.
Sources in the aviation industry said though the inquiry into the crash would be conducted by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the fact that the helicopter dipped within minutes of take off indicated prima facie that "sudden mechanical failure'' could be the cause of the accident. The helicopter was said to be seven to eight years old and had undergone maintenance checks recently.
The Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Sumitra Mahajan, said three persons had been rescued and the condition of one of them was said to be critical. She said that Navy and Coast Guard were assisting in the rescue operations.
The Mesco crash came close on the heels of a recent accident of another helicopter of the Jammu and Kashmir Government ferrying pilgrims from Amarnath Yatra near Srinagar which had hit a tree in rough weather.
Wing Commander (Retd.) M.Y. Khan of the India International Airways said the news had "perturbed'' aviation circles and added that the inquiry would bring out facts. Nagar V. Sridhar, chief of Pawan Hans Helicopter Limited, said initial reports indicated that passengers and the crew did not even get time to activate their flotation devices.
Mesco also operated 11-seater French medium light class Dauphin helicopter for the offshore role and had won the contract with ONGC, becoming the leading helicopter company in the private sector. It had also inducted both the 11-seater turbo prop and five-seater piston engine Viator and Observor. The company's combined fleet had, by the year 2000, logged over 20,000 hours, all accident free, of these over 10,000 hours were flown in the offshore role, Mesco's official publication said.
The company was promoted by Rita Singh who had unsuccessfully contested Ghaziabad Lok Sabha polls during the P.V. Narasimha Rao regime on the Congress ticket. She was also involved in a CBI case which probed alleged irregularities in the company's steel plant in Orissa.
The company was also involved with agro spraying business with its Hiller helicopters. It boasted of a training facility which had won the approval of the DGCA for one time training of three Mi-172 pilots and five engineers. The airline — a member of the U.S.-based Helicopter Association International (HAI) — was presented with the HAI's Flight Safety Award in 1995.
It also has a contract with the Orissa Government for its Ecureuil helicopter which has been given on lease. The airline has rendered service to the industrialists, Bollywood stars and politicians.
Bureau Report