Trainer Aircraft Skids Off Runway During Training Exercise at Baramati Airstrip, Pilot and Cadet Safe

A trainer aircraft operated by a private aviation academy veered off the runway during a training exercise at the Baramati airstrip in Maharashtra’s Pune district on Sunday, with both the pilot and cadet onboard escaping unharmed.

The incident took place around 12.30 pm when the aircraft was being used for a circuit-and-landing emergencies exercise at the airfield, police said.

The VT-SEX aircraft operated by Carver Aviation was carrying a pilot and a cadet when it failed to come to a complete halt within the designated runway area during the exercise.

According to police, the aircraft initially lined up at the threshold of Runway 29, where a rejected take-off was carried out. It was then positioned at the threshold of Runway 11, where another rejected take-off exercise was conducted.

During the exercise, the aircraft continued beyond the runway threshold and travelled around 20 feet past the end of the paved surface before entering the grassy area.

The aircraft subsequently veered to the right side beyond the extended paved portion of the runway. Police said no injuries were reported.

The incident comes months after a fatal aircraft crash near the same Baramati airstrip. On January 28, a private charter aircraft carrying then Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others crashed near the airstrip, killing all those onboard.

Baramati has also witnessed another aviation incident this year. On May 13, a trainer aircraft operated by another private company made a crash landing near the airstrip after reportedly developing a technical problem. No casualties were reported in that incident either.

Sunday’s runway excursion is expected to draw attention to safety procedures at the airfield, particularly as Baramati has witnessed multiple aviation incidents in recent months.