Dehradun, With the investigation into the chopper crash in Joshimath in Chamoli district underway, the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority told PTI on Sunday that pilots will now need clearance from UCADA before every flight, following instructions from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation .
So, if any inclement weather was reported by a pilot who went before this one, they should have informed this pilot also. “We have our weather observation system at Badrinath; however, we lack such a system in the valley near Joshimath. Because when sorties are done, we usually permit two or three choppers together so that they can go as buddies to each other,” Jain said, this is under investigation as to whether it could have been the fault of the earlier pilot,.
The chopper operated by a private firm, which crashed near Chai village in Joshimath, killing all six on board, had been granted permission when it departed from Sahastradhara, Dehradun; however, the investigation will determine if the weather conditions were unsuitable for flying when the chopper took off from Badrinath, officials noted. As part of the investigation, pilots of choppers that took off from Badrinath before and after the crash will also be questioned, along with the operators of those aircraft.
