Air Ambulance Beechcraft C90 Crashes in Jharkhand’s Chatra; DGCA Orders Probe.

New Delhi:

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has confirmed that a Beechcraft C90 air ambulance aircraft, registration VT-AJV, operated by Redbird Airways Pvt Ltd, crashed in Chatra district of Jharkhand on Monday evening.

According to an official statement issued by the DGCA, the aircraft was operating a medical evacuation (air ambulance) flight on the Ranchi–Delhi sector when the incident occurred. The aircraft had departed from Ranchi at 19:11 IST with seven persons on board, including two crew members.

The Beechcraft C90 was en route to Delhi when it established contact with Kolkata Air Traffic Control. At approximately 19:34 IST, the crew requested a deviation from the assigned route due to adverse weather conditions. Shortly thereafter, the aircraft lost communication and radar contact with Kolkata ATC at a position approximately 100 nautical miles southeast of Varanasi.

The crash site has been identified in Kasaria Panchayat of Chatra district in Jharkhand. Local district administration authorities have launched search and rescue operations at the location.

The DGCA further stated that a team from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is being dispatched to conduct a detailed investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash.

Authorities have indicated that further updates will be shared as more information becomes available.