A Cessna 172 training aircraft operated by Redbird Flight Training Academy crashed into an open field in the Vijayapura district of Karnataka on Sunday afternoon. The incident occurred because the plane ran out of fuel while flying from Kalaburagi to Belagavi. Both the flight instructor and the trainee pilot on board managed to survive the crash but suffered injuries and were taken to a hospital for immediate treatment.
Details of the Crash Landing
The aircraft, registered as VT-EUC, went down near Mangaluru village in Babaleshwar taluk. It was approximately 50 to 70 kilometers away from its destination at Belagavi Airport when the engine stopped due to fuel starvation. The impact of the forced landing was severe, causing the 50-year-old plane to break into three separate pieces. Captain Kunal Malhotra and trainee pilot Goutham Sankar P R were inside the cockpit when the incident happened. They were rescued from the wreckage and medical checks later confirmed they were safe.
Reason Behind the Accident
A preliminary assessment by authorities indicates that the pilots failed to fill enough fuel before taking off for the flight. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) have started a detailed investigation into the matter. This is not the first time Redbird Aviation has faced such safety issues. The academy had its operations suspended in October 2023 after two similar crash landings and was only allowed to resume flying in February 2024 after recertification.
