Archive · 28 Aug 2026
Two Killed as Training Aircraft Crashes Near Kanpur
A small training airplane crashed near the Ganga River in Kanpur.
Two people were inside: a flying instructor and a student pilot.
Both people died in the accident.
The aircraft belonged to Garg Aviation and was being used for a practice flight.
It took off in the late morning and crashed near Nathapurwa village.
Officials said the plane may have lost control, but they do not yet know why.
Police protected the wreckage and emergency teams reached the area.
Aviation investigators will examine the plane and records to find out what happened.
Reports gave different details about how long the flight lasted and the instructor’s first name.
Instructor Sachin Bhatia and trainee pilot Abhishek Pujari were reported killed in the crash, although one report called the instructor Sumit Bhatia.
The Tecnam P2006T twin-engine aircraft, registration VT-NBV, was operated by Garg Aviation and carried two people.
The aircraft took off around 11:30 a.m. and crashed near Nathapurwa village and the Ganga Barrage, about five nautical miles from Kanpur Civil Airport.
Reports differed on the flight duration and departure time, with one account saying the crash occurred about 20 minutes after takeoff and another saying about 40 minutes later.
The cause remains unknown; the DGCA will provide regulatory oversight while the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau conducts a detailed investigation.
- Who
- Instructor Sachin Bhatia from Gujarat and trainee pilot Abhishek Pujari from Karnataka were reported killed. One report identified the instructor as Sumit Bhatia.
- What
- A Tecnam P2006T twin-engine training aircraft crashed, causing fatal injuries to both people aboard.
- When
- Thursday, August 27; reports said the aircraft took off around 11:30–11:40 a.m. and crashed later that morning.
- Where
- Near Nathapurwa village in the Katri area, close to the Ganga River and Ganga Barrage, approximately five nautical miles from Kanpur Civil Airport in Uttar Pradesh.
- Why
- The cause has not been determined. Officials said the aircraft apparently lost control, pending investigation.
Operator’s maintenance claim
Authorities’ pending investigation
Aircraft condition
Operator’s maintenance claim
Garg Aviation claimed that the aircraft, which had been with the company since 2023, had no maintenance-related deficiencies.
Authorities’ pending investigation
Authorities will examine the aircraft’s airworthiness, maintenance records and other technical aspects.
Cause of crash
Operator’s maintenance claim
The operator and its pilot representative said they were reviewing the reasons and did not identify a specific cause.
Authorities’ pending investigation
Officials said the aircraft apparently lost control, but the AAIB will determine the circumstances and cause through a formal investigation.
- Aircraft
- Tecnam P2006T, a twin-engine, four-seater aircraft
- Registration
- VT-NBV
- Operator
- Garg Aviation Ltd., Kanpur
- People aboard
- Two: an instructor and a trainee pilot
- Fatalities
- Two
- Crash location
- Near Nathapurwa village and the Ganga Barrage, about five nautical miles from Kanpur Civil Airport
- Investigation
- The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau will conduct the detailed investigation, with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation providing regulatory oversight
Sources
Kanpur plane crash: Instructor, trainee pilot killed in Tecnam aircraft accident - Telegraph India
Pilot, instructor killed in training aircraft crash
Two pilots killed as training aircraft crashes in field in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur
Pilot, instructor killed in training aircraft crash in Kanpur
