Kanpur Plane Crash: Pilot, co-pilot killed as training aircraft crashes; details inside

According to police, the instructor had logged over 3,000 hours of flying experience and was a native of Gujarat, while the trainee pilot hailed from Karnataka.

Updated : Aug 27, 2026, 01:39 PM IST

An instructor and a trainee pilot were killed after a twin-engine, four-seater training aircraft crashed in Kanpur on Thursday, police said. The exact cause of the crash is yet to be ascertained; however, officials said the aircraft lost control before the crash.

A twin-engine training aircraft crashed into a field near the banks of the Ganga in Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur. According to police, the aircraft took off from the Garg Aviation Training Centre at around 11:30 AM and crashed at around 11:50 AM while returning. Kanpur Police Commissioner Raghuveer Lal confirmed the deaths of the trainee pilot, who was identified as Abhishek Pujari, and the instructor pilot, Sachin Bhatia.

According to police, the instructor had logged over 3,000 hours of flying experience and was a native of Gujarat, while the trainee pilot hailed from Karnataka. The aircraft belonged to Garg Aviation, a local flight training school. This Tecnam aircraft was brought here for training in 2023.

Speaking to reporters, Raghuveer Lal said, "Both the instructor and trainee took off at 11:30 AM from the Garg Aviation Training Centre here. This incident occurred around 11:50 AM as they were returning."The police commissioner said the aircraft was a four-seater dual-engine plane and the instructor pilot had significant flying experience. He added that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has been informed and will conduct a detailed investigation into the incident."

Emergency services and officials rushed to the crash site soon after the accident.

The police have cordoned off the crash site, and the bodies of the deceased have been removed. A DGCA team is expected to inspect it as part of the investigation into the accident, the cause of which remains unclear.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed condolences to the families of the two pilots and prayed for peace for the departed souls and strength for their families to bear the loss.