YSR not the only tragedy, Balayogi died in crash too

Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Rajashekhara Reddy's death in a chopper crash comes seven years after former Lok Sabha speaker G M C Balayogi was killed in similar circumstances in the state.

Telugu Desam Party leader Balayogi, his personal assistant and the pilot died in a helicopter crash in Kaikalur in West Godavari district on the morning of March 3, 2002.

Balayogi was travelling by a Bell 206 helicopter, while YSR, as the chief minister was popularly known, was using a Bell 430.

The Director General of Civil Aviation had blamed the 2002 accident on "improper handling" of the aircraft and bad weather.