Two pilots killed after training plane crashes, DGCA begins probe

LUCKNOW: Two pilots were killed after a twin-engine four- seater plane crashed near the banks of the Ganges River in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur. Instructor pilot and a trainee pilot are the two killed in the accident that happened Thursday morning.

The aircraft took off from the Garg Aviation Training Centre in Kanpur at around 11:30 am. It crashed at approximately 11:50 am while flying back to the training centre. The two dead have been identified as Sachin Bhatia from Gujarat and Abhishek Pujari from Karnataka. The Kanpur Police Commissioner said the instructor pilot had around 3,000 hours of flying experience.

The aircraft crashed into a field near the banks of the Ganga River. It was completely destroyed in the accident. Metal components, wings and other parts of the aircraft were found badly damaged at the crash site. The preliminary assessment is that the accident occurred after the aircraft lost control. However, the exact cause of the crash has not yet been established.

The police said officials of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) have been informed and that a detailed investigation will be conducted. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed condolences over the deaths. Authorities said the crashed aircraft was brought to the training centre in 2023. The investigation is underway to determine further details about the accident.