IAF Chopper Crash: Sole Survivor Captain Varun Singh Cheated Death In 2020, Got Shaurya Chakra
The nation of 1.3 billion people is praying for the speedy recovery of Group Captain Varun Singh, the only person to survive the IAF chopper crash in Coonoor, near Ooty in Tamil Nadu, that killed 13 people including India's Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat.
Group Captain Singh, the Directing Staff at the Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) in Wellington, Tamil Nadu, has 80-85 per cent burn injuries from the horrific crash.
Singh was recently promoted from Wing Commander to Group Captain and was a recent joinee at the DSSC.
He survived one night at the hospital where the team of doctors said that the next 48 hours will be critical for him.
This is the second time he has come close to a life and death situation.
2020 incident
On 12 October 2020, he was flying a system check sortie in the LCA, away from the parent base, after major rectification of Flight Control System (FCS) and pressurisation system (life support environment control system).
It was an unprecedented catastrophic failure that had never occurred. There was a rapid loss of altitude, with the aircraft pitching up and down viciously, going to the extremities of G limits.
Soon after, at about 10,000 feet, the aircraft again experienced a total loss of control with vicious manoeuvring and uncontrollable pitching. Under such a scenario, the pilot was at liberty to abandon the aircraft. Faced with a potential hazard to his own life, he displayed extraordinary courage and skill to safely land the fighter aircraft.?
Even at the peril to his life, he not only averted the loss of an LCA, but also safeguarded civilian property and population on ground.
Shaurya Chakra awardee
For his high order of professionalism, composure and quick decision making, Singh was conferred with the Shaurya Chakra.
He was awarded the Shaurya Chakra on Independence Day this year.
¡°During the sortie, the cockpit pressurisation failed at high altitude. He correctly identified the failure and initiated a descent to lower altitude for landing. While descending, the Flight Control System failed and led to total loss of control of the aircraft. This was an unprecedented catastrophic failure that had never occurred. There was a rapid loss of altitude while in usual attitude, with the aircraft pitching up and down viciously going to the extremities of G limits. Despite being in extreme physical and mental stress in an extreme life-threatening situation, he maintained exemplary composure and regained control of the aircraft, thereby exhibiting exceptional flying skill,¡± his citation read.
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