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Training aircraft skids off Baramati runway: Govt explains what happened
The aircraft, the government said, was being operated for a Circuit and Landing Emergencies (CL Emergencies) training exercise.
The civil aviation ministry on Sunday said that a runway excursion incident took place in Baramati that involved a Cessna C172 aircraft, bearing registration VT-SEX. However, all on board were safe.
The aircraft, operated by Academy of Carver Aviation, a directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA) approved Flying Training Organisation (FTO) took place in Baramati Airfield at around 12.25pm after it taxied for scheduled training exercise at around 12.09pm.
“The DGCA Air Safety team is proceeding to the site to conduct a preliminary investigation and ascertain the circumstances and contributing factors leading to the incident,” the ministry’s statement read.
The aircraft, the government said, was being operated for a Circuit and Landing Emergencies (CL Emergencies) training exercise. It was under the command of Captain Chirag Shashikant Doifode, the flight instructor along with trainee Abhijeet Jundre, the statement said.
“During the exercise, the aircraft entered the runway through Link Bravo and lined up at the threshold of Runway 29, where a rejected take-off exercise practice was carried out. Subsequently, the aircraft lined up at the threshold of Runway 11 and another rejected take-off exercise was carried out,” the civil aviation ministry said.
It said that, during the course of the exercise, the aircraft was unable to stop within the paved runway surface and “veered off the extended paved surface beyond the threshold of Runway 29 towards the right side, resulting in a runway excursion.”
The government however clarified that the incident did not cause any injuries or fatalities.
However, the aircraft sustained prima facie damage to the propeller, engine cowling and nose landing gear, the government informed.
“A detailed assessment of the damage will be carried out by the competent authorities,” the statement from the ministry read.
Baramati acts like an aviation training hub, as it is home to FTOs: Academy of Carver Aviation Pvt. Ltd. (ACAPL) and Redbird Flight Training Academy for pilots' training.
