Kanpur plane crash kills 2 pilots on training flight near Ganga Barrage
Synopsis
A training flight that took off from Kanpur lasted just 20 minutes before ending in a fatal crash near Ganga Barrage. Both the trainee pilot and the instructor — a man with 3,000 hours of flying experience — were killed. With the AAIB now stepping in, the investigation will test whether India's civil aviation training infrastructure has systemic gaps that routine oversight has missed.
Key Takeaways
A Tecnam P2006T twin-engine training aircraft crashed near Ganga Barrage , approximately 5 nautical miles from Kanpur Civil Airport , on Thursday .
Both occupants — trainee pilot Sachin Bhatia (Gujarat) and instructor Abhishek Pujari (Karnataka) — died in the crash.
The aircraft, operated by M/s Garg Aviation Ltd. , took off at 11:30 am and crashed around 11:50 am while returning to the training centre.
The instructor had approximately 3,000 hours of flying experience, according to Kanpur Nagar Police Commissioner Raghubir Lal .
The DGCA has deployed a three-member team to the site; the AAIB will conduct a formal investigation.
UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed condolences to the families of both pilots.
A trainee pilot and a flying instructor were killed on Thursday when a training aircraft crashed near Ganga Barrage, approximately 5 nautical miles from Kanpur Civil Airport, the Ministry of Civil Aviation confirmed in an official statement. The two deceased have been identified as Sachin Bhatia from Gujarat and Abhishek Pujari from Karnataka.
What Happened
The aircraft, a Tecnam P2006T twin-engine plane bearing registration VT-NBV and operated by M/s Garg Aviation Ltd., Kanpur, took off from the Garg Aviation training centre at 11:30 am. The crash occurred around 11:50 am as the aircraft was returning to the training centre after a routine local flying exercise within the designated flying area of Kanpur Civil Airport. Both persons on board sustained fatal injuries. Officials said the plane reportedly lost control before going down.
Who Were the Victims
Sachin Bhatia, the trainee pilot, was from Gujarat. Abhishek Pujari, the flying instructor, was from Karnataka. Kanpur Nagar Police Commissioner Raghubir Lal said the instructor had accumulated approximately 3,000 hours of flying experience. The training aircraft had been inducted into the centre in 2023, officials noted.
Investigation and Response
A three-member team from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has been dispatched to the crash site for regulatory oversight and coordination. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has been formally notified and will conduct a detailed probe in accordance with applicable rules to determine the precise cause and circumstances of the accident.
'We have got information about the instructor. He had an experience of around 3,000 hours. The DGCA has been informed. Their team will conduct a thorough investigation. The police have protected the entire area,' Police Commissioner Lal said. Emergency services reached the site promptly. Visuals from the location showed the aircraft completely wrecked in a grassy, wooded area.
Political Response
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed condolences to the bereaved families, praying for the peace of the departed souls and for the strength of the families to bear the loss.
What Comes Next
The exact cause of the crash remains undetermined pending the AAIB investigation. The findings will be critical in assessing whether the accident points to aircraft malfunction, human error, or other factors — and could have implications for training protocols at civil aviation academies across India.
Point of View
000-hour instructor — raise uncomfortable questions about aircraft airworthiness standards at smaller civil aviation academies. The Tecnam P2006T is a well-regarded training platform globally, which makes the loss-of-control sequence harder to explain away as pilot inexperience alone. India's civil aviation training sector has expanded rapidly over the past decade, but DGCA oversight of smaller operators has not always kept pace. The AAIB investigation will be the real test: if it surfaces maintenance lapses or procedural gaps at Garg Aviation, the regulator will face pressure to audit the broader ecosystem of private flying clubs and training academies that have multiplied with the boom in pilot demand.
NationPress
27 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in the Kanpur plane crash on Thursday?
A Tecnam P2006T twin-engine training aircraft operated by M/s Garg Aviation Ltd. crashed near Ganga Barrage, about 5 nautical miles from Kanpur Civil Airport, on Thursday. Both occupants — trainee pilot Sachin Bhatia and instructor Abhishek Pujari — were killed after the aircraft reportedly lost control approximately 20 minutes into the flight.
Who were the two pilots killed in the Kanpur crash?
The victims were trainee pilot Sachin Bhatia from Gujarat and flying instructor Abhishek Pujari from Karnataka. The instructor had around 3,000 hours of flying experience, according to the Kanpur Nagar Police Commissioner.
What is the AAIB and will it investigate the Kanpur crash?
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is the statutory body responsible for investigating civil aviation accidents in India. It has been formally notified of the Kanpur crash and will conduct a detailed probe to determine the cause and circumstances of the accident under applicable rules.
What caused the Kanpur training aircraft to crash?
The exact cause has not yet been determined. Officials said the plane reportedly lost control before impact. The DGCA has deployed a three-member team to the site, and the AAIB will lead the formal investigation to establish the precise cause.
How old was the crashed training aircraft?
The Tecnam P2006T bearing registration VT-NBV was brought to the Garg Aviation training centre in 2023, according to officials at the site.
