IAF Chetak Helicopter Makes Emergency Landing In Keerapakkam Agricultural Field
An Indian Air Force (IAF) Chetak helicopter made an emergency landing in an agricultural field at Keerapakkam, near Vandalur in the Chengalpattu district, on Monday morning after developing a technical snag during a training sortie. The aircraft landed safely on the farmland, and no injuries to the crew or damage to property on the ground were reported.
The helicopter, bearing the registration number ZA 1420, was piloted by pilot Vishal Bhaskar and another unnamed officer. The pilots were conducting a standard training sortie when they detected a technical glitch at approximately 9:05 am. Sensing the issue, the pilots decided to make a precautionary landing and successfully brought the helicopter down in the Keerapakkam agricultural field.
The landing drew attention in the local area as the helicopter settled in the middle of the farmland. According to police, the pilots acted quickly after detecting the glitch mid-air, ensuring that the helicopter was landed safely without causing any disruption or harm to the local residents or the crops in the agricultural field.
Immediately after landing safely, the pilots contacted their base at the Tambaram Air Force Station to report the technical issue and request technical assistance. Local police officials were also notified of the incident.
To assist with the recovery, the Air Force dispatched a team to the landing site. Three IAF helicopters reached the Keerapakkam farmland at around 10:00 am. After circling the area overhead, the helicopters landed in the field to unload the necessary equipment and technical personnel required to carry out the repairs.
The technicians worked on the grounded Chetak helicopter to rectify the technical glitch. Once the repair work was completed and the helicopter was deemed safe to fly, it took off from the agricultural field. The helicopter returned safely to the Tambaram Air Force Station at around 11:45 am. An investigation into the incident is currently underway to identify the cause of the technical snag.
