A twin-engine, four-seater training aircraft crashed in a field in Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur on Thursday, killing instructor pilot Sachin Bhatia and trainee pilot Abhishek Pujari, police said.
The aircraft had taken off from the Garg Aviation Training Center at around 11:30 am and crashed nearly 20 minutes later, around 11:50 am, while it was returning to the training centre. Kanpur Police Commissioner Raghuveer Lal confirmed the deaths and said Bhatia was from Gujarat, while Pujari was a trainee from Karnataka.
Kanpur crash kills experienced instructor and trainee pilot
Raghuveer Lal said, "Two people have died. There was an instructor, Sachin Bhatia, who was a resident of Gujarat, and Abhishek Pujari, a trainee from Karnataka. Both the instructor and trainee took off at 11:30 AM from the Garg Aviation Training Center here. This incident occurred around 11:50 AM as they were returning."
The Kanpur crash involved a Tecnam aircraft, which was brought to the training centre in 2023. The police commissioner said the instructor had about 3,000 hours of flying experience and confirmed that the aircraft was a dual-engine plane with four seats.
Kanpur crash site cordoned off as DGCA begins probe
After the crash, police cordoned off the entire Kanpur site to protect the area and preserve it for investigation. The bodies of both pilots were removed from the crash site, while authorities began the initial proceedings.
"This is a four-seater, dual-engine plane. We have learned that the instructor had about 3,000 hours of flying experience. The DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) has been informed, and their team will conduct a thorough investigation into the matter," Lal said.
Kanpur aircraft crash investigation to focus on technical details
The commissioner added, "For now, the police have cordoned off the entire area to protect it. The bodies have been removed from the site. This Tecnam aircraft was brought here for training in 2023. Any further technical inquiries will be handled by the DGCA. The pilot was Sachin Bhatia, a resident of Gujarat, and the trainee was Abhishek Pujari from Karnataka."
The cause of the Kanpur crash has not been established. The DGCA team will conduct a detailed investigation, while police continue to secure the crash site. The incident has killed both people who were aboard the aircraft during the training flight.
(with inputs from ANI)
Newlywed Woman Jumps From 10th Floor In Mumbai, Gets Stuck In Tree 25 Feet Above Ground