Kedarnath Helicopter Crash: Tragedy in the Mountains Raises Alarming Questions About Aviation Safety

On June 15, a tragic helicopter crash near Gauri Mai Khark in Uttarakhand claimed the lives of seven people, including a former army officer and a two-year-old child. The helicopter, operated by Aryan Aviation, was returning from Kedarnath to Guptkashi when it collided with a tree due to low visibility caused by dense fog. The crash turned the aircraft into a ball of fire, killing everyone on board. Following the incident, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) suspended all helicopter services to Kedarnath for two days. The services resumed on June 17 under stricter monitoring and revised protocols.

Eyewitness accounts paint a horrifying picture. Sharmila and Sanju, two local women of Nepali origin who were just 20 meters away from the crash site, saw the helicopter descend into the fog, turn slightly, attempt to navigate forward, and ultimately crash into a tall tree. Within moments, the aircraft was engulfed in flames. A toddler’s lifeless body was found near the wreckage—suspected to have fallen onto a large rock due to the impact.

Initial investigations suggest that Aryan Aviation violated safety protocols. The company had been allocated a flight slot between 6:00 to 7:00 a.m., but they began flying at 5:11 a.m.—a blatant breach of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) laid out by DGCA and UCADA. This gross negligence has resulted in criminal charges against Aryan Aviation’s base manager Vikas Tomar and accountable manager Kaushik Pathak under IPC Section 105 and Section 10 of the Aircraft Act, 1934,Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS).

DGCA has suspended Aryan Aviation’s operations in the Char Dham sector. Licenses of two other pilots from a separate company, who were found flying in similar adverse weather conditions, have been suspended for six months. However, is this enough?

Serious Questions for the Government and DGCA:

1. Why is Aryan Aviation still allowed to operate despite repeated safety violations?
   This is reportedly the second crash involving Aryan Aviation in three years. Why hasn’t the government imposed a permanent ban on this company that has clearly failed to adhere to safety norms?
2. How effective are DGCA’s aviation quality checks in high-risk zones like the Himalayas?
   Mountainous terrains require exceptional pilot training and strict weather-related operational control. Yet, this crash occurred due to a preventable breach in protocol. Where is the accountability?
3. Why are flight slot violations not flagged and penalized in real time?
   If the DGCA had a robust monitoring system, why was a helicopter allowed to take off before its designated slot?
4. Will there be an independent audit of all aviation operators in the Char Dham route?
   If not, how can the government assure pilgrims and their families that air travel to these holy destinations is safe?
5. Are the SOPs merely on paper or are they enforced seriously by both operators and regulators?

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj have assured strict action and a review of aviation safety procedures. But for grieving families, promises are not enough. It is time for concrete decisions.

The government must answer: Why is Aryan Aviation still in business after endangering so many lives? Will stricter aviation reforms follow, or will this tragedy become just another forgotten headline?