A private two-seater training aircraft made a forced landing in an open field in Karnataka’s Vijayapura district on Sunday (February 8) afternoon. Both people on board, including the pilot, escaped safely, officials said.The Cessna 172 aircraft, registered as VT-EUC, belonged to Redbird Flight Training Academy, a Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)-approved flying training organisation. It was operating a cross-country training flight from Kalaburagi to Belagavi when it was forced to land near Vijayapura.#WATCH | Karnataka | Visuals from the spot where, according to Belagavi Police, “A Red Bird private jet carrying two passengers crashed in Mangalore village of Babaleshwar taluk, Vijayapura district.”Further details awaited.According to DGCA, Redbird Flying Training Academy… pic.twitter.com/njbDFFxIwY— ANI (@ANI) February 8, 2026
According to official information, the forced landing took place around 2:30 pm IST in an open field located about 50 to 70 km from Belagavi Airport. The aircraft is suspected to have experienced fuel starvation. Due to the impact, the aircraft was damaged and broke into multiple pieces.There were two people on board — a flight instructor and a trainee pilot. They have been identified as Captain Kunal Malhotra, an Assistant Flight Instructor, and trainee pilot Goutham Sankar P R. Both sustained minor injuries and were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. Officials confirmed that both are safe.Redbird Flight Training Academy Issues StatementIn a statement, Redbird Flight Training Academy said the incident involved its training aircraft VT-EUC during a scheduled cross-country flight from Kalaburagi to Belagavi. The academy said the aircraft carried out a precautionary landing in an open field near Vijayapura at approximately 2:30 pm IST. It confirmed that both the instructor and the trainee pilot are safe and were treated for minor injuries at a nearby hospital.The academy said the matter has been reported to the concerned authorities, and a detailed occurrence report is being submitted. It added that it is extending full cooperation to the regulatory review process. As an immediate step, the academy said it has reinforced strict adherence to pre-flight inspection and fuel verification procedures across all its bases.DGCA-Approved Flying Training OrganisationAccording to a statement issued by the civil aviation ministry, Redbird Flight Training Academy is a DGCA-approved Flying Training Organisation (Approval No. 01/2020). The initial approval was issued on July 23, 2020, and the latest renewal is valid from July 23, 2025, to July 22, 2030. The academy operates a fleet of 48 aircraft.The aircraft involved in the incident was manufactured in 1975. Its Certificate of Registration was issued on May 23, 2023, and the Certificate of Airworthiness on September 20, 2023. The Airworthiness Review Certificate is valid till August 3, 2026. The aircraft has logged 17,512 hours and 40 minutes of total flying time since new.It was powered by a Lycoming O-320-E2D engine, which had completed 802 hours and 10 minutes of operation.The pilot-in-command is a Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) holder with 734 hours of flying experience. His last medical examination was conducted on March 18, 2025, and is valid till March 19, 2026. The last instrument rating and proficiency check was completed on July 25, 2025.Probe OrderedFurther investigation into the incident will be carried out by the DGCA and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).(Edited by : Priyanka Deshpande)First Published: Feb 8, 2026 7:21 PM IST
