Two pilots were killed when a twin-engine, four-seat training aircraft crashed in a field near the banks of the Ganges River in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India, on Thursday (August 27).
Police said one of the deceased was a trainee pilot, while the other was an instructor.
The victims were identified as Sachin Bhatia of Gujarat and Abhishek Pujari of Karnataka. They took off from the Garg Aviation training centre in Kanpur at around 11:30am. The crash occurred at approximately 11:45am while they were returning to the training centre.
Kanpur Police Commissioner Raghuveer Lal said authorities had received information about the instructor, who reportedly had around 3,000 hours of flying experience. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has been informed and will conduct a detailed investigation.
Emergency services and other authorities quickly reached the crash site. Videos and photographs from the scene showed the aircraft completely wrecked in a grassy, tree-covered area, with its metal sections twisted and its wings and other white panels scattered around the site.
The exact cause of the crash has not yet been determined. Officials said the accident occurred after the aircraft apparently lost control.
Authorities also said the training aircraft had been brought to the aviation training centre in 2023.
