A training aircraft crashed in a field near the Ganga Barrage in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, on Thursday, August 27, killing both people on board, instructor pilot Sachin Bhatia from Gujarat and trainee pilot Abhishek Pujari from Karnataka. The four-seater, twin-engine aircraft, operated by Garg Aviation, had taken off from its training centre at around 11:30 am and crashed roughly 20 minutes later near Natthapurwa village while reportedly returning to the centre. Police and emergency teams reached the site, secured the wreckage and began rescue and investigation efforts.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation said the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) would conduct a detailed investigation, while a three-member Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) team would visit the site for regulatory oversight and coordination. The exact cause of the crash remains unknown. Kanpur Police Commissioner Raghubir Lal said Bhatia had around 3,000 hours of flying experience and confirmed that the DGCA had been informed. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief and offered condolences to the families.
What Happened During The Training Flight?
The aircraft, identified in official and media reports as a Tecnam P2006T operated by Garg Aviation, was conducting a local training flight from Kanpur Civil Airport. According to Kanpur Police Commissioner Raghubir Lal, the aircraft took off at approximately 11:30 am and came down around 11:50 am in a field near Natthapurwa village, close to the Ganga Barrage.
Both occupants suffered fatal injuries. The police and fire services immediately moved to the crash site, cordoned off the area and secured the wreckage for examination. Lal said the instructor, Sachin Bhatia, was from Gujarat and had approximately 3,000 hours of flying experience, while the trainee, Abhishek Pujari, was from Karnataka. “The DGCA has been informed.
Their team will conduct a thorough investigation,” Lal said. The Ministry of Civil Aviation said the aircraft was about five nautical miles from Kanpur Civil Airport when it crashed and that the AAIB would determine the circumstances and cause of the accident. The ministry also said three DGCA officials would visit the site as part of regulatory oversight.
A Fresh Focus On Safety In Flight Training
The Kanpur crash comes after several incidents involving training aircraft in India in recent months, bringing renewed attention to safety standards at flying training organisations. In June, a woman trainee pilot was injured at Kanpur’s Chakeri Airport after she deboarded a Garg Aviation twin-engine aircraft while its propeller was still running.
The DGCA ordered an inquiry, removed the instructor involved from flying duties pending investigation and directed that the aircraft not be used while the probe was underway. Days later, a trainee pilot was injured when a Cessna 152 operated by Chetak Aviation crash-landed in a field in Kasganj, Uttar Pradesh; the DGCA subsequently ordered a probe and suspended the academy’s training flights until the investigation was completed.
In May, a Redbird Aviation training aircraft made a hard landing near Baramati after reportedly developing a technical problem, with the trainee pilot escaping unharmed. The AAIB later took over the investigation. While these incidents had different circumstances and outcomes, the latest fatality in Kanpur underlines why every stage of pilot training — from aircraft maintenance and instructor oversight to operating procedures and emergency preparedness — requires rigorous scrutiny. At present, officials have not established what caused Thursday’s crash, and conclusions should await the formal investigation rather than speculation.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Two people who were working towards a career in aviation have lost their lives in a tragedy that should not be reduced to a statistic. Our thoughts are with the families, colleagues and loved ones of Sachin Bhatia and Abhishek Pujari, who are now facing an unimaginable loss. At the same time, condolences must be followed by accountability.
Aviation safety depends on systems that identify risks before they become disasters, particularly in training environments where students are learning to handle complex machines under supervision. The investigation must therefore be transparent, evidence-based and free from premature conclusions, while any lapses identified should lead to meaningful corrective action.
Safety rules are not obstacles to efficient training; they are safeguards designed to ensure that pilots, instructors and people on the ground return home safely. As authorities investigate what went wrong in Kanpur, how can India strengthen oversight of flying training organisations so that lessons from every accident lead to safer skies rather than being forgotten once the headlines fade?
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KANPUR: TRAINING AIRCRAFT CRASHES NEAR GANGA BARRAGE, PILOT & CO-PILOT KILLED
— Subodh Kumar (@kumarsubodh_) August 27, 2026
A training aircraft reportedly operated by Garg Aviation crashed near the Ganga Barrage area in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh.
The pilot and co-pilot were killed in the crash. pic.twitter.com/Ebz7VZGbaw
