IAF helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu: A look at other fatal accidents in India’s military aviation history

Today’s accident is also a reminder of the Devon accident of February 1952 near Lucknow which could have wiped out the top leadership of the Indian Army. (ANI)

In a fatal helicopter crash, (second in military aviation history) India’s first Chief of Defense Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat, his wife and others were killed in Konnur, Nilgiri Hills, Tamil Nadu. A total of 14 passengers were on board the unlucky Indian Air Force (IAF) Mi-17V5 helicopter.

58 years ago in the history of military aviation, such a serious air accident happened on November 22, 1963, in which two Lieutenant Generals Daulat Singh and Bikram Singh were then victims. All six officers were killed in that accident in Poonch sector involving a Chetak helicopter.

In that accident 1963 accident, Lt Gen Daulat Singh, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command, Air Vice-Marshal EW Pinto, Air Officer Commanding, Western Command, Lt Gen Bikram Singh, was the General Officer. Commanding, 15 Corps, Major General KND Nanavati, Military Cross, General Officer Commanding, 25 Infantry Division, Brigadier SR Oberoi, Military Cross, Commander, 93 Infantry Brigade and Flight Lieutenant SS Sodhi.

Today’s accident is also a reminder of the Devon accident of February 1952 near Lucknow which could have wiped out the top leadership of the Indian Army. Two future chiefs were Lieutenant General SM Srinagesh and Major General KS Thimayya who were among the survivors. Lt Gen SM Srinagesh, who was then the GOC-in-C of the Western Command, and Major General KS Thimayya, the Quartermaster General, both later became the Army Chiefs.

As per reports, General Srinagesh has mentioned in a personal note that he was returning from a conference when the accident took place.

Besides him, others in that flight included Major General SPP Thorat (who later became GOC-in-C of Eastern Command, Major General Mohinder Singh Chopra, Major General Sardanand Singh and Brigadier Ajaib Singh.

As luck would have it, General Shrinagesh’s ADC at that time was Captain K Sundarji, who later became the Chief of the Army Staff, relinquishing his seat to Brigadier Ajaib Singh.