C90 down in Punjab, India

[bad_attitude]

A six-seater aircraft of Punjab government crashed, killing its pilot and a co-pilot in Ludhiana district on Wednesday morning, police said.

"The C-90 aircraft had taken off from Chandigarh at 10:50 am and crashed in Jugiana village before it could reach Sahnewal airport in Ludhiana," Ludhiana's police chief R K Jaiswal said.

Those killed have been identified as Manjit Singh Khokhar and co-pilot Dalip Singh Kataria, he said, adding there were the only two people on board the state government aircraft.

The cause of the crash was not immediately known, Jaiswal said. Senior district officials had reached the site of the accident.

NDTV.com: Punjab govt aircraft crashes, two killed (http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080070453&ch=10/29/2008%201:37:00%20PM)

[sec 3]

What type is a C 90 ?

[bad_attitude]

twin turbo, mtow of 5.3T

[Pushpak]

Sad day indeed, condolences to the families and loved ones.
VT-EHY Beechcraft King Air C-90,S/NO LJ1008 entered service in 1982.White with blue stripes what a beauty she was in the sky. Pilots trained in Punjab in the mid 80's would have seen her during her visits to the flying clubs in the state ferrying VIP's.
I have a picture of her, but don't know how to attach here.
Rest in peace.

[Sky Dancer]

may their souls rest in peace

[bad_attitude]

Pushpak, any idea what happened?

[Pushpak]

I have my doubts that DGCA will ever findout the cause of the crash. There was no CVR/DFDR installed. The weather was fine except the usual haze, vs reported was 3km, terrain is pretty much flat. Pilots were gaining the minimum 50hrs requirements to carry V.I.P''s on type though had enough experience on B-200/1900.
Fly Safe.

[Rotorhead1026]

I have my doubts that DGCA will ever findout the cause of the crash

But we can hope. If they get somebody with some experience involved there's a chance. It's amazing what you can find when you poke through a debris field. I just hope the local residents haven't looted the wreckage!

[Pushpak]

Rotorhead,
You are absolutely right, only if they can get some real aircraft accident investigators.

[Rotorhead1026]

only if they can get some real aircraft accident investigators

Oh, they exist here, my friend, but it was a government aircraft (that had reportedly sat without flying for several years until recently) so politics may be involved eventually, if not already. We can only watch and hope.

[bad_attitude]

The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Main News (http://www.tribuneindia.com/2008/20081030/main2.htm)

[sharansiddharth]

4 attempts of approach ,stall and eventually going and hitting a chimney looks like controlled flight into terrain . Visiblity conditions during this time of year are no good either . but black box should be taken into account for final verdict