On Tuesday, a trainer aircraft belonging to a private aviation academy crashed in the residential area of Amreli district in Gujarat, resulting in the death of a trainee pilot, according to police reports.
The incident occurred around 12:30 pm in the Giriya Road area of Amreli town. The aircraft, which had taken off from Amreli airport, crashed after hitting a tree and then falling into an open plot, where it was engulfed in flames.
The plane was being flown solo by a male trainee pilot. Amreli Superintendent of Police Sanjay Kharat confirmed that the aircraft had been operated by an aviation academy that conducts training from Amreli airport. He added that no other individuals were injured in the accident, despite the crash taking place in a residential area.
Local authorities began an investigation into the crash, which was initially classified as an accidental death. The exact cause of the crash remains unknown. Fire services were quickly deployed to the site, with four teams from the local fire brigade rushing to the scene in Shastri Nagar after learning of the crash and the subsequent fire.
Fire officer SC Gadhvi reported that although the aircraft fell into a residential area, no further injuries occurred because it first struck a tree before crashing into an open plot. The fire was eventually controlled by the responding teams. The investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing.
(This is a developing story. Stay tuned for more updates...)