Kamal Ghorui
An Indian Air Force aircraft from Air Force Station Bamrauli crash-landed in the Rambagh area of Prayagraj, UP around 12.30 pm on Wednesday. Video footage of the incident shows the aircraft descending under an emergency parachute before safely force-landing in an uninhabited area, averting any major accident. The parachute deployment significantly reduced the landing impact, preventing damage on the ground. The aircraft, primarily used for monitoring bird activity around airfields, was being operated by Group Captain Praveen Agarwal, Vayusena Medal awardee and Chief Operating Officer of Air Force Station Bamrauli, along with Group Captain Sunil Kumar Pandey, the station’s Chief Administrative Officer. Both the officers are safe. Confirming the incident, Defence PRO Wing Commander Debartho Dhar said, “This was a routine sortie in a trainer aircraft. Both the pilot and occupant are safe.”The aircraft was on a routine sortie when it suffered an engine failure mid-air.The IAF has ordered a Court of Inquiry to ascertain the cause of the technical malfunction. “A Microlite aircraft of the IAF, while undertaking a routine sortie, from AF Station Bamrauli near Prayagraj at 1215 hrs on 21 Jan 26, experienced a technical malfunction, and was safely force landed in an uninhabited area, ensuring no damage to civil life or property. Both pilots on board are safe. A Court of Inquiry has been ordered by IAF to ascertain the cause,” an X post from the Indian Air Force said.This is the second aviation emergency reported this month. Earlier, on January 10, a nine-seater aircraft operating under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) made a forced crash landing in an open field near Kansor, about 15–20 km short of Rourkela airport, after the crew detected a technical snag during flight.
