Safety gear failed in Mirage crash that killed both pilots
The deaths of two Indian Air Force (IAF) test pilots in a Mirage 2000 crash at the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) airport in Bengaluru last week may have been caused in part by arrester barriers, critical airfield safety equipment, giving way, officials with first-hand information of the matter said on condition of anonymity.
The reason for the crash itself remains unknown – the black box of the fighter has been sent to France for analysis – but the death of the pilots could have been averted if the barriers, meant to stop the aircraft, had held, one of the officials added. “Once the arresters gave way, there was little chance that the two had of bringing the aircraft to rest,” he said. The two pilots, squadron leader Samir Abrol and squadron leader Siddhartha Negi, died on the spot.
The arresters installed at HAL airport are expected to stop aircraft that weigh up to 30 tonnes travelling at speeds of up to 160170 knots.
The Mirage 2000 trainer weighs much less, 13-14 tonnes, and was travelling at a speed of less than 160 knots, the officials added. Abrol and Negi were on an “acceptance sortie” of the Mirage 2000 trainer aircraft after it was overhauled by the Bengalurubased, state-owned company. The sortie was taking place on the HAL runway in Yemalur in Bengaluru on February 1.
An HAL spokesperson declined to comment. An Indian Air Force (IAF) spokesperson, too, declined comment because of the ongoing court of inquiry into the accident.