DGCA begins probe into chopper landing on roof

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation began an inquiry into the emergency landing of a helicopter on the terrace of a five-storey residential apartment building as the chopper was dismantled on Friday.

"The chopper was dismantled and brought down to the ground," an official of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited said.

A DGCA team inspected the site. Pilot of the chopper in his statement said engine failure had forced him to make the emergency landing.

The helicopter on a training sortie made the emergency landing on the terrace of the building here yesterday. Both the pilot and the trainee on board escaped unhurt.

HAL Rotary Wing Academy's Schweizer-300C helicopter, flown by Air Commodore (Retd) Roj Assey along with trainee Capt Digvijay Singh, took-off at 2.30 pm and flew for two hours and 10 minutes before the emergency landing.

There was no damage to the building but the helicopter sustained some damage.

The air commodore controlled the helicopter to make an emergency landing atop the building as there was no open place available nearby, where he could have landed immediately.

It was a "very light helicopter" and was about four years old and being used for civilian helicopter training.