Baramati, Maharashtra: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has launched an investigation after a Cessna C-172 training aircraft exited the paved surface at Baramati airfield during a scheduled exercise on Sunday, the Civil Aviation Ministry said.
What happened
The aircraft, registered VT-SEX and operated by the Academy of Carver Aviation — a DGCA-approved Flying Training Organisation (FTO) — was conducting a Circuit and Landing Emergencies training session when it failed to stop within the paved runway surface and ran off to the right beyond the threshold of Runway 29. There were no injuries or fatalities among the flight crew, the ministry statement said.
The training sortie began with the aircraft taxing out at about 12:09 pm. Under the command of Captain Chirag Shashikant Doifode, the flight instructor, and with trainee Abhijeet Jundre on board, the crew carried out a rejected take-off exercise at the threshold of Runway 29 and later repeated a similar exercise at Runway 11. It was during the sequence involving Runway 29 that the aircraft was unable to bring the plane to a halt on the paved surface and veered off to the right, the ministry added.
Damage and immediate actions
There is visible damage to several forward sections of the aeroplane. The ministry said a technical assessment will be performed by competent authorities to determine the extent of damage and the likely cause of the excursion.
| Component | Reported status |
|---|---|
| Propeller | Damaged |
| Engine cowling | Damaged |
| Nose landing gear | Damaged |
The DGCA will investigate the circumstances of the runway excursion, including crew actions, aircraft technical condition, runway and surface state, and any possible procedural lapses by the FTO, according to the ministry release.
Regulatory and local context
The incident underscores scrutiny on flight training operations in Maharashtra, where several private schools operate from smaller airfields such as Baramati. The DGCA has previously emphasised strict adherence to training protocols for rejected take-off and emergency drills, particularly at aerodromes with limited overrun areas.
- Aircraft type: Cessna C-172 (trainer)
- Operator: Academy of Carver Aviation (DGCA-approved FTO)
- Flight: Circuit and Landing Emergencies training
Local authorities at Baramati, which is a small but active general aviation field in western Maharashtra, have not reported any damage to runway pavement or infrastructure. Rescue and fire services were not required for occupant evacuation, the ministry said.
Investigation focus and next steps
The DGCA inquiry will typically examine flight data, cockpit procedures, crew training records, maintenance logs for VT-SEX, and airfield conditions at the time of the exercise. The regulator may also review the academy's training syllabus and oversight mechanisms if procedural deviations are found.
Depending on findings, the probe could lead to corrective directives for the FTO, mandatory safety audits, or recommendations to improve runway safety margins and training risk assessments at Baramati and similar fields.
Residents in and around Baramati welcomed the absence of casualties but said such incidents highlight the need for clear safety buffers at smaller aerodromes. Aviation experts say rejected take-off drills, while essential for pilot competency, must be practised with careful risk mitigation where paved overrun distances are limited.
The DGCA statement did not provide a timeframe for concluding the probe. The academy operating the aircraft has not issued a separate public comment; regulatory findings and any safety directives will be communicated by the ministry and the DGCA as the investigation progresses.
Reporting from Baramati by Sameer Joshi, Maharashtra correspondent.
