Crash Indian Air Force Mi-17V-5

On 8 December 2021 at around 12:20 hrs LT, a Bharatiya Vayu Sena (IAF, Indian Air Force) Mi-17V-5 helicopter crashed near Coonoor, a municipality of the Nilgiris district in the Indian State of Tamil Nadu. The crash location, in the Nilgiri mountains, is at around 1,850 metres above sea level.

The helicopter, carrying Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Bipin Rawat, his wife and twelve others, was on its way from Sulur Air Force Station to the Defence Staff Services College in Wellington (Tamil Nadu). CDS Bipin Rawat was to attend a cadet interaction programme at the College.

The Mi-17V-5, serial ZP5164, was operated by 109 Helicopter Unit Knights based at Sulur AFS.

The crash happened at a distance of about 10 km from the helipad where it was to land. The Indian Air Force reported that only one person survived the accident, but he is in a critical condition. An inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident.