The probe to find out the cause leading to the AN-32 plane crash may get delayed as its black box or flight data recorder is damaged. The black box was brought from the crash site three days back and the investigators are trying to retrieve the data from the instrument. Meanwhile, operation is in full swing to recover the mortal remains of all the 13 on board. Scores of helicopters are flying sorties for this purpose.
It is feared that the plane hit a mountain top leading to the crash. However, the data from the black box and the court of inquiry will establish the cause of the mishap, sources said here on Monday. As regards the damage caused to the black box, they said the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited(HAL) help will be sought for retrieving the data or may be sent to some other agency. It was also learnt that Eastern Command chief Air Marshal R K Mathur’s scheduled visit to Bangladesh was postponed as he is supervising the salvage operations.
The plane had gone missing on June 3 while on a flight from Jorhat in Assam for Mechuka advanced landing ground in Arunachal Pradesh and the wreckage was spotted eight days later near the landing ground at a height of 12,000 feet amidst dense jungles atop a steep ridge. Teams of IAF, Army and civilian mountaineers trekked in the rugged terrain to reach the spot to recover the black box and look for any survivors.
Given the nature of terrain and inclement weather, the search operation is facing a major challenge for the mountaineering team and the IAF has deployed more than eight helicopters for retrieval of mortal remains, sources said. They also said more than 200 sorties were carried out since the search and rescue effort commenced on June 3 over an area of 1,000 sq.km. The debris of the ill-fated plane was finally spotted by a MI-17 helicopter in Lipo.
There are more than 100 AN-32 twin-engine turbo prop transport planes with the IAF. These Russian origin planes were inducted in the mid 1980s. After a crash in 2009 near Mechuka killing all 13 passengers, a contract was inked for 400 million dollars with Ukraine for upgrade. So far, 50 planes have been retrofitted. However, the plane which crashed on June 3 was non-upgraded.
Mechuka advanced landing ground located at an altitude of 6,000 feet is the lifeline for troops deployed on the Line of Actual Control(LAC) facing China in Arunachal Pradesh. The planes and helicopters ferry personnel, food and ammunition from Mechuka which is about 30kms from the LAC as the crow flies.
