An IAF aircraft crashed at the Kalaikunda Air Force Station near Kharagpur in West Midnapore immediately after takeoff on Thursday morning. The two pilots of the Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer ejected in time. The crash occurred around 11 am.
The crash has brought into focus the findings of an internal audit report on the AJT that was recently submitted to the MoD.
The report found that the Hawk AJTs — supplied by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited — are using Rolls-Royce built ‘Adour’ Mk 871-07 aero-engines engines which had a TBO of 1,000 to 1,400 hours instead of the warranted 2,000 hours.
TBO or ‘Time Between Overhaul’ is the manufacturer’s recommended number of running hours before an aircraft engine or other component needs overhaul.
The report said: “The engines, which were supposed to have a life of about 2,000 hours before first overhaul, were found to have a life of about 1,000 hours to 1,400 hours only. It means that the vendor, apart from violating the contract terms and conditions, has also adversely affected the quality of engines and aircraft supplied by HAL to IAF and Navy.”
Also leveling charges of kickbacks, the internal report said: “Introduction of engines with less life and compromised parts in Hawk aircraft and payment of illegal commissions to unauthorised agents are linked facts and a major vigilance investigation into the matter is called for”.
The report pointed out the use of Cat-B or second-hand components in the fitments of the Hawk. “There were quite a number of cases wherein aircraft supplied by HAL were fitted with certain components (like PDU, NSU, CSMU, vapor release valve, rudder actuator, brake unit, instrument lighting dimmer, GTS, water extractor, AOA probe, DAU, Pitot probe, weapons programming unit, temperature control switch) in ‘Cat-B’ condition at the time of inspection/delivery to IAF, as confirmed by the representative of Directorate General of Aeronautical Quality Assurance in HAL division”.
