A trainee aircraft crashed near the Baramati airstrip in Maharashtra's Pune district on Sunday, raising questions over safety arrangements there once again.
The pilot of the aircraft survived, though, and no casualties were reported. Authorities later arrived at the spot and the area was cordoned off. A video has also gone viral that showed the crashed aircraft at the airport.
"The incident took place near the airstrip. We are investigating whether the aircraft developed a technical snag or if there were any other technical problems. It is too early to comment on anything," a senior police official said, as cited by news agency PTI.
This is the second incident since in around three months when an aircraft has crashed near the airstrip and it has once put the safety arrangements at Baramati airport under scrutiny.
Back in May, a trainer aircraft that belonged to the Redbird Flight Training Academy crashed near the airstrip following a technical snag. The pilot, who was the sole occupant of the aircraft, escaped safely following the incident after which the authorities launched an investigation into the incident.
When Ajit Pawar died in plane crash near Baramati
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Ajit Pawar had also died in a plane crash near the Baramati airstrip on January 28. The plane, a Learjet 45 aircraft, belonged to the VSR Ventures. Other than Pawar, four other people had also lost their lives.
Later, a thorough probe was launched and the case was handed over to the Maharashtra Crime Investigation Department (CID). A probe was also conducted by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), which in its 22-page preliminary report stated that visibility was below the required standard for safe landing when the incident happened.
The AAIB report also highlighted poor runway conditions, including fading runway markings and loose gravel present on the surface. However, Pawar's nephew and NCP(SP) MLA Rohit Pawar had called the report baseless and alleged that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) was not informed about the flight's schedule, seeking an independent investigation into the incident.
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