Pune, Aug 9: A trainer aircraft operated by a private aviation company crashed near the Baramati airstrip in Maharashtra’s Pune district on Sunday, with no casualties reported, police said.
The trainee pilot on board escaped without serious injuries in the incident, which occurred around 12:30 pm.
According to police, the aircraft crashed in the vicinity of the airstrip. Officials said an investigation was underway to determine whether the aircraft suffered a technical malfunction or whether other factors contributed to the crash.
“We are investigating whether the aircraft developed a technical snag or if there were any other technical problems,” a police official said, adding that it was too early to draw any conclusions.
Villagers and emergency responders rushed to the site soon after the incident.
The crash comes months after a Learjet 45 aircraft operated by VSR, bearing registration VT-SSK, crashed in Baramati, killing then Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar, two of his aides and two crew members.
ExecutiveBranchThe latest incident has again brought aviation safety into focus. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has been taking measures to strengthen safety standards in the country’s civil aviation sector.
The DGCA had also organised a seminar last year on “Enhancing Aviation Safety through Collaboration”, bringing together senior officials from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, DGCA, industry representatives and aviation professionals to discuss ways to improve safety across the sector.
Further details about the cause of Sunday’s crash are awaited.
