Cause of Indian General Bipin Rawat’s Death Revealed: Human Error Behind Helicopter Crash

A parliamentary committee report has concluded that human error was the primary cause of the tragic helicopter crash that led to the death of India’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat, in December 2021.

The crash, which occurred on December 8, 2021, involved an Indian Air Force MI-17 helicopter that was carrying General Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat, and 12 other personnel. The helicopter was en route from Coimbatore to Wellington, where General Rawat was scheduled to attend a meeting at the Defence Services Staff College. The helicopter crashed into the mountains shortly before landing, resulting in the loss of all on board.

The report, presented by the Parliamentary Defence Committee in the Lok Sabha, stated that the crash was the result of human oversight. Investigators had analyzed the flight data recorder, cockpit voice recorder, and testimony from witnesses to determine the cause. The report noted that this was part of a broader trend of nine accidents that occurred in 2021, with General Rawat’s crash being attributed to human error.