Two Dead in Kanpur Training Aircraft Crash, AAIB to Investigate

A trainee pilot and an instructor were killed on Thursday when a twin-engine training aircraft operated by Garg Aviation crashed near the banks of the Ganga in Kanpur, prompting the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) to launch a detailed probe.

The aircraft, identified as a Tecnam P2006T bearing registration VT-NBV, crashed approximately 5 nautical miles from Kanpur Civil Airport, near Ganga Barrage. According to Kanpur Police Commissioner Raghubir Lal, the aircraft took off at around 11:30 am and crashed roughly 20 minutes later near Nathapurwa village in the Katri area. The deceased were identified as instructor Sachin Bhatia from Gujarat and trainee pilot Abhishek Pujari from Karnataka. Bhatia had around 3,000 hours of flying experience, according to police.

The civil aviation ministry said the aircraft was conducting a training flight within the Local Flying Area of Kanpur Civil Airport when the accident occurred. Both occupants sustained fatal injuries.

Police and fire personnel rushed to the crash site, cordoned off the area and secured the wreckage as evidence. Videos from the site showed the aircraft reduced to wreckage, with debris scattered around the area. A seat was also reportedly found outside the wreckage, although officials have not confirmed whether either occupant attempted to escape.

The AAIB has been informed and will investigate the circumstances and cause of the crash in accordance with applicable rules. A three-member team from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will also visit the site for regulatory oversight and coordination. The DGCA is expected to examine the aircraft’s airworthiness, maintenance records and other technical aspects as part of the investigation. The cause of the crash was not immediately known.

Garg Aviation, which operated the aircraft, said it had been with the company since 2023 and claimed there were no maintenance-related deficiencies. Senior police officials, including Commissioner Lal and Additional Commissioners Vipin Tada and Sankalp Sharma, visited the crash site following the accident.

The investigation will determine whether any technical, operational, weather-related or other factors contributed to the fatal crash.