AAIB investigation launched after Uttarakhand helicopter crash near Joshimath kills six

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is set to investigate a helicopter crash in Uttarakhand that killed six people on Friday. A senior official said the AAIB team had already left for the crash site. The helicopter was run by Trans Bharat Aviation and went down in the Joshimath area.

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The crash involved six deaths, including the pilot, officials said. The aircraft hit a hillside in Joshimath about an hour after departing Badrinath. It was flying towards Dehradun when the incident occurred. Authorities are now gathering details from the site to support the investigation.

AAIB helicopter crash probe in Uttarakhand

The senior official told that AAIB will probe the accident and that its team has already left for the site. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) also issued a statement on the response. DGCA said its team has been sent to Dehradun for a preliminary review and regulatory assessment.

DGCA identified the helicopter as registration VT-HCX, type AS350B3. The helicopter crashed in the forest area near Chai village Joshimath. DGCA said the aircraft took off from Badrinath helipad at 1314 hrs. It was bound for Sahastradhara helipad Dehradun with one pilot and five passengers.

According to the DGCA statement, the wreckage has been found. Search and rescue operations were continuing as work progressed at the location. Officials did not share further details on weather or technical factors. The AAIB probe is expected to examine flight planning and operational decisions.

AAIB helicopter crash data in the Char Dham sector

The incident occurred in a region linked to Char Dham travel routes. Badrinath temple is among the char dhams in Uttarakhand. Yamunotri, Gangotri, and Kedarnath are the other shrines in the Char Dham Yatra. Helicopter services are often used to connect these areas with Dehradun.

An AAIB accident investigation report released earlier this month recorded eight helicopter accidents in the Char Dham sector from 2015-2025. AAIB said most cases involved flight crews not following standard operating procedures. AAIB also counted 9 occurrences across the decade. These included 8 accidents and 1 serious incident.

AAIB said there was at least one accident or serious incident every year from 2022 onwards. Of the eight accidents, five were fatal, according to the report. AAIB added there were no accidents in 2015 and 2016. AAIB linked that period to very limited Char Dham operations.

The AAIB report also outlined changes in activity levels over later years. From 2017 to 2019, AAIB recorded two accidents, including one fatal event. AAIB said operations were limited in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19 protocols. No accidents were reported during those two years, AAIB said.

AAIB published those figures in its final report on a separate Uttarakhand helicopter crash. That earlier crash killed seven people in June last year, AAIB said. For the Joshimath crash, AAIB and DGCA teams are now moving through initial checks. Further findings are expected after on-site assessments finish.

With inputs from PTI