India One Air's plane faced low engine power, crashed in Rourkela after hitting tree: AAIB

New Delhi, Feb 11 (PTI) India One Air's Cessna Caravan's crew tried to land the aircraft in an open field in Rourkela on January 10 but during the final approach, the plane hit a tree and a powerline, resulting in crash-landing that killed one person and injured three others, according to AAIB's preliminary report.

While operating the flight from Bhubaneshwar to Rourkela with four passengers onboard, the crew noticed low engine oil pressure as well as a reduction in the engine power, and decided to make an emergency landing at the nearest suitable site, AAIB said.

"After assessing terrain options, an initial attempt to reach a dry river-bed was discontinued due to insufficient height and the crew selected an alternate open field that appeared clear of major obstacles. However, during the final approach, the aircraft hit a tree top and the powerline very close to the tree. The crew tried to avoid the powerline but the aircraft had lost height and impacted ground," the AAIB has said.

The Cessna Grand Caravan 208BEX aircraft VT-KSS, powered with Pratt and Whitney PT6A-140, was owned by Redound Aviation Ltd, as per the report.

In its preliminary report on the January 10 accident that killed one person and injured three others near Rourkela in Odisha, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) did not provide any interim recommendations.

AAIB said Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and Flight Data Recorder (FDR) data have been downloaded and were being analysed. The engine has been secured for further detailed examination.

Aircraft maintenance records, tech log records, and all relevant aircraft approvals have been obtained for scrutiny, it added.

Also, accredited representatives from the US NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) and TSB (Transportation Safety Board) Cananda have been appointed to assist in the investigation. PTI RAM IAS MR