Seven people, including two pilots, a doctor, a paramedic, a critically injured patient and two of his family members, were killed when a Beechcraft C90 air ambulance operated by Redbird Airways Pvt Ltd crashed in the forested Simaria area of Chatra district, Jharkhand on the evening of Monday, 23 February 2026.
The aircraft was flying from Ranchi to New Delhi to take the patient for specialised treatment when it lost radar and radio contact during deteriorating weather conditions shortly after take‑off. All bodies have been recovered, subjected to post‑mortem at Sadar Hospital, and handed over to relatives amid profound grief.
Aviation authorities, including the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), have launched a full probe, while the regulator tightens safety oversight of charter and air ambulance operators in the wake of this and other recent crashes.
Families’ Long Night of Desperation and Grief
The air ambulance was carrying 41‑year‑old burn victim Sanjay Kumar from Chandwa in Latehar district, who had suffered severe burns covering more than 60 per cent of his body after an electric short‑circuit sparked a fire at his hotel.
With local treatment proving insufficient and time running short, Kumar’s family borrowed around ₹7–8 lakh from relatives and acquaintances to arrange for an air medical transfer to a major Delhi hospital, reflecting the financial strain many families face in accessing critical care.
Alongside the patient were his wife Archana Devi and a relative, Dhuru Kumar, as well as Dr Vikas Kumar Gupta, who had reportedly stepped in to accompany the patient at the last minute after a colleague declined, and paramedic Sachin Kumar Mishra. The flight crew comprised Captain Vivek Vikas Bhagat and Co‑pilot Savrajdeep Singh.
On Tuesday afternoon, relatives gathered at Sadar Hospital in Chatra as the bodies were released after post‑mortem, many overcome with grief and disbelief. One family member said, “Not just ours, many families have been ruined by this tragedy,” lamenting the loss of loved ones and the fragility of life when hope turns to heartbreak. Another relative recalled Sachin Mishra as “my entire world”, underscoring the profound personal losses for families and communities.
The father of Dr Gupta shared the sacrifices he made to educate his son, saying he had sold farmland to support his medical career, only to lose him in a crash while the doctor was trying to help others.
Crash Circumstances and Immediate Response
The air ambulance departed Ranchi Airport at 7:11 p.m. IST on Monday, heading for Delhi’s Sir Ganga Ram Hospital where the burns specialist care was to be provided. Air traffic control established contact shortly after, but communication and radar signals were lost between 19:30 p.m. and 19:34 p.m., roughly 20–25 minutes after take‑off. The aircraft was last tracked about 100 nautical miles south‑east of Varanasi before vanishing from radar during severe weather conditions, including thunderstorms and heavy rain.
Local villagers reported hearing a loud explosion and seeing smoke rising from the dense forest where the plane went down, complicating early search efforts because of difficult terrain. Search and rescue teams, along with local villagers, reached the site later that night and recovered all seven bodies.
The DGCA immediately dispatched two investigation teams to the scene to collect wreckage evidence, flight recorders and maintenance records, and began combing through cockpit voice recordings and weather data as part of a detailed probe. Health Minister Dr Irfan Ansari and other state officials met with local administrators to oversee the response and extend government support to bereaved families.
Aviation Safety Under Scrutiny and Regulatory Reforms
The Jharkhand crash has drawn attention not only for the human tragedy but also for the broader concerns it raises about aviation safety in India’s non‑scheduled and medical evacuation sectors. Following preliminary findings of safety non‑compliances during the initial investigation, the DGCA has already grounded certain Learjet 40/45 aircraft to ensure adherence to airworthiness and operational protocols, even though that aircraft type was not involved in this particular incident.
It has also convened industry‑wide safety reviews with operators and regulators, warning that future breaches of safety norms could lead to licence suspensions of up to five years. The DGCA is reported to be overhauling charter flight safety standards in response to this crash and another recent fatal accident involving a private jet, signaling a tightened regulatory regime to protect passengers and crew.
Political responses have also emerged, with parties such as the Trinamool Congress calling for a transparent and thorough investigation to uncover the precise cause of the crash and institute safeguards that prevent future tragedies.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
This devastating crash is a stark reminder of the intersecting challenges in India’s healthcare and aviation systemswhere families are forced into high‑risk, high‑cost transfers in search of life‑saving care, and regulatory gaps can magnify calamities. While the immediate focus must remain on compassionate support for the grieving families and transparent investigation into the crash, it is equally important to address long‑term systemic improvements.
