Air Ambulance Crashes Without Distress Call After Ranchi Takeoff
Officials confirmed on Tuesday that an air ambulance bound for Delhi, which crashed approximately half an hour after departing from Ranchi airport, did not issue any distress signal before vanishing from radar systems. The incident has raised serious questions about aviation safety protocols and weather-related risks.
Last Communication and Radar Disappearance
Minutes prior to the crash, the pilot of the turbopropeller Beechcraft aircraft requested a deviation due to adverse weather conditions. According to sources at Kolkata airport, the plane disappeared from radar at the Atali point, a critical juncture where air traffic control in Kolkata was scheduled to hand over monitoring to Varanasi authorities. This location is situated about 90 nautical miles northwest of Ranchi and 104 nautical miles southeast of Varanasi.
The Kolkata air traffic controller triggered an immediate alarm after the aircraft's blip vanished and attempts to contact the captain or co-pilot via radio proved unsuccessful. Quoting the controller, sources revealed, "The captain had asked for a weather deviation and was granted permission. Initially, the flight requested an altitude of 16,000 feet after takeoff from Ranchi. At 7:30 PM, the pilot contacted again, seeking approval to climb to only 14,000 feet and no higher. This was allowed. That conversation marked the final communication with the flight cockpit. Exactly four minutes later, the aircraft disappeared from radar."
Weather Warnings Ignored
Officials at the meteorological centre in Ranchi disclosed that despite issuing multiple weather warnings, the crew of the ill-fated Beechcraft King Air C90A plane did not make contact before commencing the flight. P P Baburaj, head of the Ranchi weather office, stated that rainfall and thunderstorm alerts were disseminated at 11 AM and again at 5:10 PM on Monday for all departing aircraft.
"In the morning, a bulletin was sent forecasting rainfall and thunderstorms accompanied by lightning in northwest and central Jharkhand. All pilots should have received this warning. At 5:10 PM, we issued a Nowcast indicating light thunderstorms with rain in some districts in the northwest sector," Baburaj explained. Typically, aircraft avoid cumulonimbus clouds due to severe risks such as violent turbulence, intense lightning, heavy icing, hail, and extreme wind shear, which can damage aircraft structures or lead to loss of control. For smaller planes like the Beechcraft, navigating through such hazardous weather can be particularly perilous.
Potential Causes of the Crash
An aviation expert suggested that a lightning strike might have compromised the transponder and electrical systems of the aircraft. Additionally, the low flight level of the Beechcraft could have interfered with its VHF communication system, potentially explaining the lack of distress signals. These factors, combined with the severe weather conditions, may have contributed to the tragic outcome.
The investigation into the crash continues as authorities work to determine the exact sequence of events and implement measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
