RedBird came under regulatory lens for two plane accidents in one week in October 2023

Mumbai/ New Delhi, Feb 8 (PTI) Redbird Flight Training Academy, whose trainer aircraft crashed near Belagavi on Sunday, had come under regulatory scanner for similar accidents little over two years ago.

Following two crash landing of its aircraft in a span of one week in October 2023, aviation watchdog DGCA had temporarily suspended the operations of the academy at all its bases.

And at least three accidents involving the academy's planes are being probed by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).

The civil aviation ministry on Sunday said that a more than 50-year-old Cessna 172 trainer aircraft made a force landing in Karnataka due to inadequate fuel, and both pilots are safe.

The aircraft VT-EUC, which was flying from Kalaburagi to Belagavi crashed landed in an open field near Vijayapura and the site is around 50 to 70 kilometres from the Belagavi airport.

The flight instructor and a trainee pilot were onboard the aircraft, which broke into three pieces after the crash landing, sources said.

A senior official at the Redbird Flight Training Academy told PTI that after the crash, the pilots underwent medical checkups and both are safe.

Prima-facie it looks like that the Pilot-In-Command and the Trainee Pilot forgot to uplift enough fuel for the flight as a result of which there was the forced landing of the aircraft, the official said.

There was no official statement from the Academy.

A senior regulatory official told PTI that the decision on whether the incident will be investigated by the AAIB (Aircraft Accidents Investigation Bureau) or the DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) will be taken after the preliminary probe.

Back in October 2023, aviation regulator DGCA had temporarily suspended the operations of Redbird Flight Training Academy at all its bases following two incidents of crash landing of planes.

Both accidents had happened within a week in October 2023. At least three accidents involving the academy's planes are being probed by AAIB.

TECNAM P-Mentor aircraft VT-RFO crash landed near Suktara Airfield in Madhya Pradesh on December 8, 2025. In the accident, the Pilot-In-Command (PIC) suffered a minor injury while the Trainee Pilot sustained a serious injujry.

In another accident, the academy's TECNAM P2008 JC aircraft crash landed near Baramati airport on October 19, 2023 and the pilot had sustained minor injuries.

Also, the academy's TECNAM P2008 JC plane had crash landed near Baramati airport on October 22, 2023 whereby the pilots suffered minor injuries.

AAIB came out with its preliminary reports on the three accidents.

The probe agency in the preliminary reports on the accidents near Baramati airport in October 2023 had flagged that the academy was obstructing the proceedings of the investigation team.

"In view of the fact that crucial evidence like SD Card from wreckage and CCTV Hard Disks were removed before arrival of AAIB team without any intimation or permission, it is recommended that necessary action may be taken by DGCA against M/s Redbird Flight Training Academy Pvt Ltd for obstructing the proceedings of the Investigation Team as per the extant provisions," the preliminary report had said.

Similarly, in the preliminary report on the October 22, 2023, accident, AAIB had said crucial evidence like SD Card was removed before arrival of the agency's team without any intimation or permission.

Citing this development, AAIB had recommended that DGCA may take necessary action against the academy for obstructing the proceedings of the investigation team.

Meanwhile, the accident on Sunday happened less than two weeks after a plane crash near Baramati airport killed Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others on January 28. PTI IAS RAM MR