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Training aircraft crash-lands at Baramati airport after bird hit
Preliminary findings suggest a technical failure, possibly due to the damaged tyre, as the immediate cause of the incident, officials said
A training aircraft of Redbird Flight Training Academy crash-landed at Baramati airport at around 8am on Saturday following a suspected bird-hit incident, said police officials, adding that no injuries were reported.
Darshan Rathod, deputy superintendent of police (Baramati division), said the trainee pilot was flying solo when the crash occurred. “The pilot reported that a bird appeared in front of the aircraft during landing, causing the front wheel to get damaged and bent on touchdown. This led the aircraft to veer off the taxiway to the other side of the airport. The front wheel eventually came off due to the damage,” he said.
The aircraft made an emergency landing on the airstrip, which falls under the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) and used by Redbird for training operations. Rathod said the pilot’s quick response prevented injuries and further damage.
Preliminary findings suggest a technical failure, possibly due to the damaged tyre, as the immediate cause of the incident, officials said.
Sandeep Gill, superintendent of police, Pune rural, said, “A probe has been ordered to determine the exact cause of Saturday’s crash.”
This is the latest in a series of accidents involving Redbird’s fleet in Baramati. On October 19, 2023, a Tecnam P2008 aircraft (VT-RBT) experienced engine trouble and crash-landed near Katfal village. Three days later, on October 22, another Tecnam P2008 from the academy crash-landed near Gojubavi village during an emergency landing, injuring the instructor and trainee pilot. Earlier, on September 20, 2021, a Tecnam P2008JC (VT-RBE) overshot the runway at Baramati airport during a solo circuit and landing, causing major damage but no injuries.
Other flying schools in Baramati have also reported mishaps. On February 5, 2019, a Cessna 172S (VT-RDX) operated by Carver Aviation crashed after running out of fuel during a solo cross-country training flight, seriously injuring the pilot.
Concerns over such incidents led to a complaint to minister of state for civil aviation Murlidhar Mohol on August 2, 2025, urging the Centre to frame stricter safety norms for flight training academies.
Following a spate of five accidents in six months, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had suspended Redbird’s flight training operations at all six of its bases in October 2023 to enforce safety improvements. The Delhi-based institute, operational since 2017, runs bases at Baramati in Pune district, Lilabari in Assam, Gulbarga and Belgaum in Karnataka, Seoni in Madhya Pradesh, and Colombo in Sri Lanka.
Redbird did not respond to requests for comment.
