Crashed Mirage's Wheel Came off during Take off

[Windjammer]

HAL under accountability cloud after Bengaluru Mirage crash
Squadron leaders Samir Abrol and Siddhartha Negi had died in the crash yesterday. Both were highly trained test pilots from Aircraft & Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE) of India Air Force.
By IANS
NEW DELHI: Former Navy Chief Admiral Arun Prakash has sought accountability from the political leadership and the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited brass after the crash of a Mirage-2000 fighter jet yesterday in Bengaluru killing two IAF pilots, providing fresh fuel to the fierce debate over the state-run aircraft maker's work ethics.

A naval aviator himself and a decorated officer, he tweeted that the military has for decades flown poor quality HAL machines and often paid with young lives.

"The Mirage was not flown by ordinary pilots; these were superbly trained ASTE test pilots. Mil (military) has for decades flown poor quality HAL machines and often paid with young lives but not reckoning for HAL management. Time to focus on the leadership and directors of this giant PSU," tweeted Prakash on the Mirage crash.

Arun Prakash@arunp2810
https://twitter.com/arunp2810/status/1091573118311661568

The Mirage was not being flown by ordinary pilots; these were superbly trained ASTE Test Pilots. Mil has, fr decades, flown poor quality HAL machines & often paid with young lives but no reckoning for HAL management. Time to focus on leadership & Directors of this giant PSU.

Shekhar Gupta

✔@ShekharGupta

So the plane never took off....this is shocking, and doubly tragic... https://twitter.com/rajeev_mp/status/1091543157265784837 …
He also said that "HAL bashing may be justified to a point, but (it's) time to question elected reps (representatives) too. 35 defence ministers have overseen this giant DPSU since 1947. While pampering its union, none demanded quality, productivity & aeronautical innovation of HAL or hand-picked a dynamic CEO."

As the details of the crash emerge from independent accounts, the aircraft, which was on an acceptance sortie on Friday, after an upgrade by HAL, failed to take off.

ALSO READ: Mirage 2000 crashes at HAL airport in Bengaluru, both pilots dead

BJP MP Rajiv Chandrasekhar also tweeted that if families of the pilots want accountability from HAL, he would ensure legal support for them.

"My sources say aircraft was on 2nd acceptance airtest after upgrade. One oleo (wheel) came off during take-off (and) n it veered off runway. Plots ejected both parachutes caught fire in the debris of the aircraft. If families want accountability from HAL, will ensure legal help for them," tweeted Chandrasekhar.

Squadron leaders Samir Abrol and Siddhartha Negi had died in the crash yesterday. Both were highly trained test pilots from Aircraft & Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE) of India Air Force.

The crash has reignited the issue of HAL's quality standards.

Navdeep Singh, a veteran, tweeted about a 2017 judgement of Delhi High Court in the case of fighter pilot wing commander Sanjeet Singh Kaila who became unfit to fly following a crash in 2005. The Centre and the HAL were asked to pay him a compensation of Rs 55 lakh. Of this, five lakh was to be paid by the Centre and the rest by HAL. The matter is pending in Supreme Court.

 

[Sully3]

the worst part is these aircrafts were just upgraded by HAL

HAL is quickly turning into the laughing stock of the world and they wanted to manufacture Rafael in India

 

[scorpionx]

Saddest part is we lost two extremely highly trained, brave young men. Rest in peace. Now, it is time to put HAL into serious accountability test.

 

[Arsalan]

Saddest part is we lost two extremely highly trained, brave young men. Rest in peace. Now, it is time to put HAL into serious accountability test.

Yes. Both Squadron leaders and test pilots. Highly skilled and trained for sure.
Arent the IAF Mirages fitted with zero-zero ejection seats? Could have saved two lives had it worked properly as accident happened at take-off stage i believe. Or may be the pilots delayed for a second trying to bring the plane under control and that extra second meant the were caught up in debris

 

[scorpionx]

Yes. Both Squadron leaders and test pilots. Highly skilled and trained for sure.
Arent the IAF Mirages fitted with zero-zero ejection seats? Could have saved two lives had it worked properly as accident happened at take-off stage i believe. Or may be the pilots delayed for a second trying to bring the plane under control and that extra second meant the were caught up in debris

I really have no idea, Arsalan. You are right. Proper functioning of 0-0 or a decision, taken split second earlier may or may not have saved their lives. But at the end of the day, eyewitness reports point finger towards HAL, that it was their incompetence that led these men to such tragic death.

 

[Arsalan]

I really have no idea, Arsalan. You are right. Proper functioning of 0-0 or a decision, taken split second earlier may or may not have saved their lives. But at the end of the day, eyewitness reports point finger towards HAL, that it was their incompetence that led these men to such tragic death.

An aircraft back form fresh upgrade at HAL and the wheel comes off at take-off, sure people will blame HAL for it. I am also not blaming the pilots, just saying that a zero zero seat functioning properly and a decision made a split second earlier could have saved the life of two senior pilots.

Members, two lives were lost, even if it was at enemy's side lets show some respect. No trolling please. You don't really need to rip HAL apart here, Indian members can see what happened and how HAL is responsible for this loss.

 

[truthseeker2010]

I really have no idea, Arsalan. You are right. Proper functioning of 0-0 or a decision, taken split second earlier may or may not have saved their lives. But at the end of the day, eyewitness reports point finger towards HAL, that it was their incompetence that led these men to such tragic death.

Does Ejection seats were changed during upgrade?

 

[scorpionx]

Does Ejection seats were changed during upgrade?

We have no information on that so far.

 

[Reichsmarschall]

Pilot's family should sue thugs in HAL

 

[Windjammer]

Yes. Both Squadron leaders and test pilots. Highly skilled and trained for sure.
Arent the IAF Mirages fitted with zero-zero ejection seats? Could have saved two lives had it worked properly as accident happened at take-off stage i believe. Or may be the pilots delayed for a second trying to bring the plane under control and that extra second meant the were caught up in debris

The Mirage-2000 is fitted with zero zero ejection seats, however while today it's claimed that a wheel came off causing the aircraft to lose control, other witnesses described seeing the aircraft on fire before it crashed. It maybe that after losing control, the aircraft may have scrapped the runway and got airborne.

'' An eye witness, Brijesh, who runs a carpentry outlet close to the airport Wall, said he and many others in the neighbourhood saw the aircraft catch fire in the air. But even as they watched in horror, the pilots ejected out. However, the blaze from the crashing jet instantly spread to the parachute. "When we rushed to the spot where the pilots fell, one of them was fully burnt except his face. He had lost consciousness," recalled Brijesh.''

 

[khail007]

Loss of aircraft is nothing, could be replaced. The irrecoverable loss were both sons of the soil. Both were test pilots and mean with level of experience which very few able to achieve.
Sad part seems both able to eject but lost their lives in very very tragic way.
RIP ... patience for families and friends of both heros.

 

[Whirling_dervesh]

HAL is rotten to the core

 

[Imran Khan]

sad incedent hal should be bring into court

 

[Chhatrapati]

Then wonder why HAL was kept out of Rafale given to private contractors who are accountable unlike government organizations. Need to fire the staff who did the maintenance and upgrade. Machines are replaceable, but test pilots are not.

 

[Thorough Pro]

There is no way the aircraft could have gotten off the ground had the wheel come off during the takeoff. that would have caused an instantaneous flip or rollover.

The Mirage-2000 is fitted with zero zero ejection seats, however while today it's claimed that a wheel came off causing the aircraft to lose control, other witnesses described seeing the aircraft on fire before it crashed. It maybe that after losing control, the aircraft may have scrapped the runway and got airborne.

'' An eye witness, Brijesh, who runs a carpentry outlet close to the airport Wall, said he and many others in the neighbourhood saw the aircraft catch fire in the air. But even as they watched in horror, the pilots ejected out. However, the blaze from the crashing jet instantly spread to the parachute. "When we rushed to the spot where the pilots fell, one of them was fully burnt except his face. He had lost consciousness," recalled Brijesh.''

btw isn't there a video from the watch tower camera that records all take-offs and landings?