Charter Plane Operating As Air Ambulance Crashes Shortly After Takeoff From Ranchi Airport

Ranchi: A charter plane, operating as an air ambulance, reportedly crashed in Jharkhand on Monday night after it went missing shortly after takeoff from Ranchi Airport. According to reports, the charter flight, carrying a patient, attendants, medical staff, and crew members, went missing shortly after taking off from Ranchi Airport. The aircraft, operated by Redbird, had been scheduled to fly to Delhi, but lost contact with Air Traffic Control (ATC) at around 7.30 pm and later debris was discovered between Laterhar and Garhwa districts.

According to information, the ill-fated flight had 7 people on board, including the patient, 1 doctor, 1 paramedic, two attendants, and the pilot and co-pilot. According to sources, the plane had established contact with the next station and handed over control, but subsequently lost communication. All necessary Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) were being followed, as confirmed by Ranchi Airport sources.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has confirmed the crash, and a rescue operation is underway. Reports indicated that the aircraft crashed in a forest near Karmatand village in the Simaria police station area of Chatra district. Suspicious debris, including propellers and engines, has been found in the area, fueling speculation of an air ambulance crash.

Ranchi Airport Authority Confirms Crash

The Ranchi Airport Authority, in an official statement, confirmed the crash, stating that there were 7 people onboard. “On 23.02.2026, Redbird Airways Pvt Ltd Beechcraft C90 aircraft VT-AJV operating medical evacuation (Air Ambulance) flight on the sector “Ranchi-Delhi” crashed in Kasaria Panchayat of Chatra district, in Jharkhand. There were seven persons on board including two crew members. The aircraft was airborne from Ranchi at 19:11 IST. After establishing contact with Kolkata, at 19:34 IST aircraft lost communication and RADAR contact with Kolkata at approximately 100 NM South-East of Varanasi. District Administration search and rescue team is at the location and AAIB team is being dispatched for investigation. Further information will be shared.”

Earlier, in a statement issued by the Garhwa District administration after the aircraft went missing, it was stated, “The aircraft is missing. The last wireless signal contact was at 7:30 p.M. In the Palamu/Garhwa area. While en route from Ranchi to Delhi, the aircraft crashed in a forest near Karmatand Village in the Simaria police station area of ​​Chatra District. Contact with Air Traffic Control (ATC) was lost on Monday evening. According to reports, the aircraft was an air ambulance that had taken off from Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand, for the national capital, Delhi. The medical ambulance aircraft, which flew from Ranchi to Delhi, has disappeared from radar. According to reports, the patient and his family, a doctor, and a male nurse were also on board.”

After the deadly plane crash, Jharkhand Health Minister Dr Irfan Ansari said, “This heartbreaking news has shaken me to the core. Five lives are at stake. I have directed the concerned officials to take immediate necessary action and deploy every possible resource. Our priority is the safe recovery of all passengers. I pray to God that everyone remains safe and that relief and rescue operations succeed at the earliest. The state government is closely monitoring the situation with utmost seriousness.”

Here's a timeline of the air ambulance crash in Jharkhand's Chatra:

• 7.10 pm: The air ambulance, operated by Redbird Airways, takes off from Ranchi's Birsa Munda Airport with 7 people on board, including a patient, a doctor, a paramedic, two attendants, and two pilots.
• 7.34 pm: The aircraft establishes contact with Kolkata Air Traffic Control and requests a weather deviation.
• 7.34 pm: Contact with the aircraft is lost, and it disappears from radar approximately 100 nautical miles southeast of Varanasi.
• 7.30 pm (approx.): The aircraft crashes in the Kasaria Panchayat area of Chatra district, Jharkhand.
• Post-crash: Search and rescue teams are dispatched to the crash site, and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is notified for investigation.

Further details regarding the plane are awaited.