Pune, 13th May 2026: A trainer aircraft operated by Redbird Flight Training Academy made an emergency crash landing near the Baramati airstrip in Pune district on Wednesday morning after developing a technical problem during flight operations. The incident took place near Gojubavi village around 8.50 am.
According to police officials, the aircraft was being flown by a trainee pilot on a solo training sortie when the malfunction occurred. The pilot managed to escape safely and no injuries were reported.
Pune Superintendent of Police Sandip Singh Gill said preliminary information from eyewitnesses suggested the aircraft was flying at a relatively low altitude when it developed a technical problem. During the emergency landing attempt, one side of the aircraft reportedly struck a light pole before hitting the ground.
Police teams immediately reached the spot after receiving information about the crash. Authorities have started an inquiry into the incident while further technical assessment is underway.
In a statement, Redbird Flight Training Academy confirmed that its Tecnam P2008JC aircraft bearing registration VT-RFY was involved in the crash landing near the Baramati airstrip.
The academy stated that the situation was under control and the cadet pilot was safe. The company also said it has begun an internal investigation in coordination with aviation authorities.
This is not the first such incident involving aircraft linked to the academy. In October 2023, one of its trainer aircraft crashed near Katfal village in Baramati taluka, injuring a pilot. Just days later, another trainer aircraft belonging to the same academy crashed near Gojubavi village, leaving two people injured.
The latest incident has also brought back memories of the deadly Learjet 45 crash near Baramati earlier this year. In January, a private charter aircraft attempting to land near the airstrip crashed, killing all five people on board, including then Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.
