📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Shaq774 at en.wikipedia
National
AAIB urges extra hill‑training and radio‑recording after 2025 Kedarnath crash
✍️ India Today
🗓 17 Oct 2026, 07:36 AM
👁 7
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau has highlighted the need for enhanced hill‑area pilot training and mandatory cockpit radio‑call recordings following the 2025 crash near Kedarnath, Uttarakhand.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) released its final report on the fatal 2025 crash that occurred in the mountainous terrain near Kedarnath, Uttarakhand. The investigation identified gaps in pilot proficiency for high‑altitude, steep‑gradient operations and the absence of recorded cockpit communications as contributing factors.
To address these shortcomings, the AAIB recommends that airlines operating in the Himalayan region introduce mandatory hill‑training modules, including simulator sessions that replicate the narrow valleys and sudden wind shear typical of the area. The bureau also urges the Civil Aviation Ministry to mandate the installation of voice‑recording systems in all aircraft flying to and from hill‑top airports.
The recommendations come as part of a broader safety push after several recent incidents in the region. The AAIB stressed that implementing the measures could significantly reduce the risk of similar accidents, especially during the pilgrimage season when traffic to Kedarnath surges.
The bureau will monitor compliance and submit periodic reviews to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. Airlines have been asked to submit implementation plans within three months.
If adopted, the new protocols are expected to enhance pilot situational awareness and provide investigators with vital data in the event of future mishaps, thereby strengthening overall aviation safety in India's mountainous zones.
To address these shortcomings, the AAIB recommends that airlines operating in the Himalayan region introduce mandatory hill‑training modules, including simulator sessions that replicate the narrow valleys and sudden wind shear typical of the area. The bureau also urges the Civil Aviation Ministry to mandate the installation of voice‑recording systems in all aircraft flying to and from hill‑top airports.
The recommendations come as part of a broader safety push after several recent incidents in the region. The AAIB stressed that implementing the measures could significantly reduce the risk of similar accidents, especially during the pilgrimage season when traffic to Kedarnath surges.
The bureau will monitor compliance and submit periodic reviews to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. Airlines have been asked to submit implementation plans within three months.
If adopted, the new protocols are expected to enhance pilot situational awareness and provide investigators with vital data in the event of future mishaps, thereby strengthening overall aviation safety in India's mountainous zones.