Cessna plane crashes in MP's Sagar district, pilot safe: Civil Aviation Minister Scindia

Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Saturday informed that a plane had crashed in Madhya Pradesh's Sagar and that the trainee pilot was safe. A Cessna aircraft being operated by a trainee pilot crashed in the Sagar district of Madhya Pradesh. Taking to Twitter, Civil Aviation minister Scindia informed that an investigation team has been sent to the site and that the 22-year old trainee pilot was safe.

The crashed aircraft belonged to Chimes Aviation Academy, a non-public aviation institute. This is the second time a trainer aircraft has crashed in the span of the last 18 months. In January 2020, another trainer aircraft of Chimes Aviation had crashed on the runway, killing two persons on board. Further, PTI reported the statement of eyewitnesses which informed that the aircraft skidded off the runway and reached a patch of land full of shrubs at the site in Sagar district.

The incident of a plane crash came on the heels of the crash of a trainer aircraft in the Jalgaon district of Maharashtra, on Friday in which the flight instructor was killed.

In March 2020, the Madhya Pradesh government has banned the private aviation academy, Chimes Aviation, from using Dhana airstrip, two months after one of its trainer aircraft crashed and killed two persons on board. On January 3, the aircraft Cessna 172 crashed in a field close to the airstrip after its pilot was trying to land it around 10 pm. Trainer Ashok Makwana and trainee Piyush Singh were killed in the aircraft accident. PTI reported that the ban came after the Sagar collector found Chimes allegedly flouting the flying norms in the wake of the fatal aircraft accident. But later on, the ban was lifted off by the Madhya Pradesh government.

"We got the state government order on February 29 (imposing a ban) following which we have suspended our flying activities immediately from Dhana airport," Rahul Sharma, Manager Chimes Aviation Academy, Dhana", told PTI in March 2020.

"Our nine trainer aircraft remain grounded at the airstrip," he added.

(With ANI and PTI inputs)

(IMAGE: ANI)