New Delhi
A trainer aircraft operated by a flying training organisation veered off the paved runway during a training exercise at Baramati Airfield in Maharashtra on Sunday. There were no injuries or fatalities, the Ministry of Civil Aviation said.
The aircraft, a Cessna C172 registered as VT-SEX and operated by DGCA-approved Academy of Carver Aviation, was conducting a Circuit and Landing Emergencies (CL Emergencies) training exercise when the incident occurred at around 12:25 pm.
The aircraft was under the command of flight instructor Capt. Chirag Shashikant Doifode, with trainee Abhijeet Jundre on board.
According to the ministry, the aircraft had taxied out at around 12:09 pm for the scheduled training exercise. It entered the runway through Link Bravo and lined up at the threshold of Runway 29, where a rejected take-off exercise was carried out.
It subsequently lined up at the threshold of Runway 11 for another rejected take-off exercise.
During the exercise, the aircraft was “unable to stop within the paved runway surface” and subsequently veered off the extended paved surface beyond the threshold of Runway 29 towards the right side. The ministry classified the occurrence as a runway excursion.
The aircraft suffered prima facie damage to its propeller, engine cowling and nose landing gear. A detailed assessment of the aircraft will be carried out by the competent authorities.
“The DGCA Air Safety team is proceeding to the site to conduct a preliminary investigation and ascertain the circumstances and contributing factors leading to the incident,” the Ministry of Civil Aviation said.
The incident comes nearly seven months after a fatal aircraft crash at the same Baramati airfield that killed former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.