Kanpur, 27 August 2026: A twin‑engine training aircraft crashed in the vicinity of the Ganga Barrage on Thursday afternoon, killing a flying instructor and a trainee pilot, officials said. The aircraft, a Tecnam P2006T registered VT‑NBV and operated by Garg Aviation Ltd, Kanpur, was on a local training sortie when it met with the accident about 5 nautical miles from Kanpur Civil Airport.
Official response and on‑site action
The Ministry of Civil Aviation said it had dispatched a three‑member team from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to the site. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has been tasked to investigate the circumstances and probable cause of the mishap.
“According to the preliminary information, a Tecnam P2006T twin‑engine aircraft, bearing registration VT‑NBV and operated by Garg Aviation Ltd, Kanpur, met with an accident on the afternoon of August 27, 2026, approximately 5 NM from Kanpur Civil Airport, near Ganga Barrage,” officials of the Ministry of Civil Aviation said.
Victims identified
Police identified the instructor as Sachin Bhatia, a Gujarat resident with approximately 3,000 hours of flying experience. The trainee has been named as Abhishek Pujari of Karnataka. Both sustained fatal injuries, the police said.
Regulatory background and probes to focus on maintenance, returns to service
The aircraft had been subject to regulatory scrutiny after an earlier serious safety incident at Chakeri Airport in Kanpur on 26 June, when a trainee was grievously injured while deboarding VT‑NBV while a propeller was still running. Following that event, the DGCA issued a directive on 28 June that VT‑NBV should not be utilised until its probe was completed.
Officials said the aircraft subsequently returned to flying operations before Thursday’s crash. Investigators with the AAIB are expected to reconstruct the aircraft’s operational and maintenance history, including the timeline of its return to service, the checks performed and the regulatory clearances obtained before it resumed flying.
- Aircraft: Tecnam P2006T (twin‑engine), registration VT‑NBV
- Operator: Garg Aviation Ltd, Kanpur
- Location: approx. 5 NM from Kanpur Civil Airport, near Ganga Barrage
- Fatalities: Two — instructor Sachin Bhatia and trainee Abhishek Pujari
- Investigating agencies: DGCA team on site; AAIB probe under way
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 26 June 2026 | Serious safety incident at Chakeri Airport involving VT‑NBV; trainee injured |
| 28 June 2026 | DGCA directed VT‑NBV not to be utilised pending probe |
| 27 August 2026 | VT‑NBV crashed near Ganga Barrage; two fatalities; AAIB investigation launched |
What investigators will examine
Investigators are likely to look into the sequence of events in the air and on the ground, the aircraft’s maintenance records, crew training and qualifications, airworthiness directives and any air traffic or weather information relevant to the time of the flight. While the June incident and Thursday’s crash are both part of the aircraft's recent operational record, officials have said there is no indication at this stage of a direct connection; the AAIB’s findings will be determinative.
The accident reiterates the scrutiny on training operations at Kanpur’s Chakeri/ Civil Airport area, where multiple flying schools operate. The DGCA and AAIB reports will have implications for safety oversight, trainer aircraft deployment and regulatory compliance across aviation training establishments in the region.
Police secured the crash site and carried out necessary actions as investigators conducted on‑scene procedures, according to the Ministry and local authorities. Further technical details and the final cause will be released following the completion of the AAIB probe.
