Indian Army Pilots Die To Avoid Civilian Casualties

Two Indian Army aviation corps pilots Major Atul Garje, a qualified flying instructor, and Major P Bhanu Chandar died yesterday when the Cheetah/Alouette II helicopter they were flying crashed in Western India. According to prima facie evidence, the helicopter came down following critical rotor failure. The two officers manoeuvered their chopper away from an area where they could eyeball civilians on the ground, crashing finally into a house whose occupants were away. Nobody was killed or hurt on the ground. Both pilots died in the crash. R.I.P.

The crash once again brings into focus the unconscionable delays in the Indian Army’s light helicopter competition, an effort that seeks to replace several vintage Cheetahs and Chetak/Alouette IIIs currently in service, with a European or Russian platform.

28 thoughts on “Indian Army Pilots Die To Avoid Civilian Casualties”

  1. In Contrast have a look at sonia and her gang of allies. Ready to sell the country to the highest bidder.

    RIP to dead officers.

    And MoD please kindly replace the fighter and ricekty equipments our armed forces are using. Because when need arises only our armed forces would stand up to take the challenge. Their life is more important than our Bastard Netas.

  2. We salute your sacrifice.

    But such service should not be limited to Men in uniform, it's the duty of every human being to live up to these standards.

    RIP.

  3. Well their "sacrifice" was more due to old helicopter and poor maintenance. There is nothing "heroic" or "brave" in their deaths but speaks volumes about the std of eqp and maintenance in the armed forces. Earlier it used to be jets falling from the sky now it is choppers (not to mention ships and subs colliding and turning turtle).

    R.I.P. to the departed souls.

  4. AFTER FLYING COFFINE (MIG-21) NOW LIGHT HELICOPTER CHEETHA AND CHETAK'S CRASH UNFORTUNET INCIDENT. INCREASING PLANE AND HELICOPTER CRASHES ARE NOT GOOD FOR OUR INDIAN ARMY. OUR TRAINED AND YOUNG PILOTS LOST THEIR LIVES WHO ARE MORE VALUABLE FOR US AND OUR COUNTARY. WE SHOULD COMPLAINED OUR GOVERNMENT. GOVERNMENT AND MINISTERY OF DEFENCE SHOULD NEED COMMITMENT TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEMS. HAL'S LIGHT OBSERVATION HELICOPTER PROGRAME ARE VERY SLOW. HAL'S SHOULD NEED TO COMPLETE THIS HELICOPTER BY USING THEIR CREATIVE INDIAN MIND OF STUDENTS FROM MANY UNIVERSITIES AND SCHOOL IN OUR INDIA.

  5. @Anon 3:54 ,while your lament has some grounds,that is not the entire story.'Volumes' are not been spoken so loud in the manner you suggest.
    A read through this will help.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_accidents_and_incidents_involving_military_aircraft_(2000%E2%80%93present)

    Flying is inherently dangerous and helicopter flight,given the enhanced mechanical stresses on rotary -aircraft,more so.IAF crashes BTW are skewed to a particular type/series of Aircraft chiefly Mig 21/27..Otherwise take the Mirages,Jags, Mig -29s, SU-30, our helos.Given the years of their service,the operational tempo of IAF and varied terrain,our flying/maintenace is not that bad at all.

    Having said that, i agree its time to get in the newer birds ASAP.

    Ships colliding and Subs turning turtle is nothing new,Just Google and see the searches.

  6. The responsible people who are behind Indian Army's light helicopter competition delays are to blame, haven't they seen enough blood already. Don't they realize the Indian lives are more precious than loosing some money.

    The people who are responsible for Indian Army's light helicopter competition should be asked to fly Chetak and Cheetah helicopter's regularly, which includes politicians.

  7. They should qualify for a Vir Chakra at the very least, in my opinion, but I have no doubt that our beloved government will worm out of giving them the awards because their bravery was technically displayed during a time of 'peace'.

  8. We cannot loose such great men of our country….these incident should be taken seriously and should not happen in the future….Royal salute and R.I.P.

  9. Unnecessary deaths due to substandard or obsolete aircraft past their prime of service life.

    What are a few crashes to the baboons and corrupt netas in the MOD? They will conveniently say nobody asked them to be pilots or they might just do what they did to the Sarang Team stunt pilot who gave his life for the glory of his mother land. They do not care for these brave souls. These idiots at MOD would sell the country if the price is right.

    The air force strength has come to a deplorable level and yet there is no set time frame for the procurement of the 126 multi-role fighters.

    The submarine fleet is also obsolete and few in numbers. The MOD clowns are in dreamland hoping the TSP noted for misadventure and the belligerent Chink won't put their resources together to teach India another humiliating lesson such as in 1962.

    A beggar country such as TSP has nothing to lose as it is already in its death throes brought about by its obsession with jihad and terror.

    China would like to send India to the Stone Age so as to be the sole super power in Asia and if possible the whole world.

    Wonder what India is waiting for?

  10. ITS HARD TIME THE GOVT. REALISES THE URGENCY IN AQUIRING NEWER CHOPPERRS FOR THE FORCES SO THAT WE DONT LOSE OUR BRILLIANT OFFICERS THIS WAY IN FUTURE.
    SALUTE TO UR HEROES

  11. Will pray for the departed souls.

    One unsolicited advice for other Cheetah flying officers in IA, if they read this blog.

    Let's think of dieing better ways. Bhagat Singh is our shared inspiration and f*cked up administration our shared foe.

    Jay Hind.

  12. Will repeat it here for the umpteenth time: there's no such thing in aviation parlance as ageing, old, vintage, or obsolete. In aviation parlance, either a piece of hardware is airworthy, or not airworthy. Therefore, to those above plus the folks at NDTV who have used such discredited descriptions for the SA.315B lama/Cheetah and SA.316B Alouette III/Chetak, an education on airworthiness practices and processes is urgently called for in order to shed their ignorance. People around the world are still using DC-3s, C-47s, Bell 47Gs and S-58s of 1940s and 1950s vintage without any mishap whatsoever. I don't understand why the Chetak and Cheetah shouldn't serve for another 20 years. The latest Cheetah crash was probably caused by transmission failure, as indicated by news reports. This translates into only a component failure, and should not be use to write off the entire helicopter as being useless. Both these helicopters can still be upgraded and re-engined with the Ardiden 1H/Shakti engine coupled with a new gearbox. If this is done, these machines, especially the Cheetah, will still continue to be one of the best LUH/LOH machines available for high-altitude SAR/CASEVAC. The Army's reqmt for new-build LUH is an entirely different reqmt that is associated with the horizontal expansion of the AAC's fleet and creation of combat aviation brigades.

  13. R.I.P
    And dear Shiv, rather than Eiropen and Rusi, it can be Dhruv as well until the LUH is comissioned. Within three years how many Dhruv's can be built to replace the Chetak and Cheetah helis? That must be done.

  14. My Heart goes out and hands automatically raised in prayer for these young lads of Mother India who make the supreme sacrifices for our good.

    The boys of their age enjoy their Colleges, homes and hearth and many rise up after 26 / 28 years of age to put these boys down in share jealousy and oneupmanship.. flouting their arrogance in drunken stupor of power.

  15. i have known atul since the day he joined my squadron in NDA. an amazing human being and fighter to the core. he always had this concern for others and maybe this quuality of his was the one which made him him steer the chopper away from crowded area. he could have just bailed out. ……….
    u have done ur duty and shall we all when time comes… proud of u brother…may both their souls R.I.P……

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