SRINAGAR: A trainee aircraft crashed near the runway of the Dhana airstrip in Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday evening, injuring the pilot and narrowly avoiding a major accident, NDTV reported.
According to News18, the incident took place around 3pm when a trainee pilot from the Chimes Aviation Academy attempted to land the aircraft. The plane’s nose suddenly dipped, causing it to skid off the runway and slam into the ground.
Rescue teams immediately pulled the pilot from the cockpit and shifted him to the airstrip’s medical facility. Officials said he is safe and out of danger.
Senior district officers, including the Sagar Range Inspector General of Police, the Collector and the Superintendent of Police, were present at the airstrip to oversee the soldier’s evacuation. Authorities noted that the outcome could have been far worse had the crash taken place moments earlier while personnel were positioned on the runway.
Local reports, cited by NDTV, stated that the Dhana airstrip has witnessed several similar training aircraft crashes in recent years, raising concerns over ageing equipment and inadequate maintenance. Staff at the academy told News18 that the pilot lost control during landing, causing the aircraft to veer off the main strip before crashing.
The crash comes just two days after another training aircraft accident in Seoni on November 8, when a Red Bird Aviation aircraft hit a high-voltage power line, injuring two pilots. According to NDTV, both aircraft incidents within 72 hours have renewed questions about the safety standards of aviation training operations in Madhya Pradesh.
