2026 Redbird Airways Beechcraft King Air crash
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 A Beechcraft King Air similar to the aircraft involved | |
| Accident | |
|---|---|
| Date | 23 February 2026 |
| Summary | Under investigation |
| Site |
|
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | Beechcraft C90 |
| Operator | Redbird Airways |
| Registration | VT-AJV |
| Flight origin | Birsa Munda Airport, Ranchi, India |
| Destination | Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi, India |
| Occupants | 7 |
| Passengers | 5 |
| Crew | 2 |
| Fatalities | 7 |
| Survivors | 0 |
On 23 February 2026, a Beechcraft King Air operated by Redbird Airways crashed near Simaria in Chatra district, Jharkhand, India, while operating a medical evacuation flight from Birsa Munda Airport in Ranchi to Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi. All seven people on board were killed.[1]
Contact with the aircraft was lost approximately twenty minutes after departure during evening operations conducted amid unstable weather conditions. Rescue teams later located wreckage in a forested area of Chatra district. Authorities confirmed that there were no survivors.[2]
Background
[edit]Air ambulance services in India are used to transport patients from regional hospitals to specialised medical centres in major cities. Officials stated that the flight involved had been chartered to transfer a burn-injury patient from Ranchi to Delhi for advanced treatment.[3]
Aircraft
[edit]The aircraft involved was a Beechcraft C90 twin-turboprop registered VT-AJV and operated by Redbird Airways Pvt. Ltd. According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, the aircraft possessed valid certification at the time of departure.[citation needed]
Passengers and crew
[edit]Seven occupants were aboard the aircraft, including two pilots Captain Vivek Vikas Bhagat and Captain Savrajdeep Singh, a doctor identified as Vikash Kumar Gupta, paramedic Sachin Kumar Mishra, critically injured patient Sanjay Kumar and accompanying relatives identified as Archana Devi and Dhuru Kumar.[4] Authorities transported the victims to Chatra Sadar Hospital for identification and post-mortem examination.[5]
Accident
[edit]The aircraft departed Ranchi at approximately 19:11 Indian Standard Time. Radar contact was lost around 19:34 IST. Officials stated that the pilots had requested a route deviation shortly before communication ceased, reportedly due to weather conditions.[6]
Residents reported hearing an explosion followed by smoke rising from a forested area near Bariatu Panchayat in Simaria. Rescue teams located the wreckage later that evening.[7]
Investigation
[edit]The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau opened a formal investigation with support from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. Investigators began analysing maintenance records, operational procedures, communications, and meteorological data.[8]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Ranchi-Delhi air ambulance with 7 on board crashes in Jharkhand's Chatra". The Indian Express. 23 February 2026. Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ "Air ambulance plunges into eastern India forest, killing 7". AP News. 24 February 2026. Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ "Delhi-bound air ambulance loses radar contact, crashes with 7 onboard". mint. 23 February 2026. Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ Verma, Mayank [@imayankindian] (23 February 2026). "Breaking | All seven people onboard died in the Ranchi charter plane crash. The deceased include pilot Vivek Vikas Bhagat, pilot Swarajdeep Singh, patient Sanjay Kumar, family members Archana Devi and Dhuru Kumar, Dr. Vikas Gupta, and paramedical staff Sachin Mishra. DGCA Statement: "The crashed aircraft, a C-90 air ambulance, belonged to Redbird Airways Pvt. Ltd. It had 7 people onboard, including two pilots. Shortly after takeoff, the pilot requested a route diversion due to bad weather. The aircraft lost contact with radar within four minutes." #RanchiDelhiAirAmbulanceCrash #AirAmbulanceCrash #Jharkhand #Ranchi" (Tweet). Retrieved 24 February 2026 – via Twitter.
- ^ Ranjan, Mukesh (24 February 2026). "Jharkhand air ambulance crash: Bodies of all seven victims sent for post-mortem". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ Ranter, Harro. "Accident Beechcraft C90A King Air VT-AJV, Monday 23 February 2026". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ "'Requested deviation due to weather': Ranchi-Delhi air ambulance lost contact with ATC 20 minutes after takeoff; 2nd crash within a month". The Times of India. 24 February 2026. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ "No black box in air ambulance crash in Jharkhand, AAIB team investigates the site". The Hindu. Retrieved 27 February 2026.
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