Close shave for two pilots as mini-aircraft crashes into field in Karnataka's Vijayapura

Vijayapura: Two pilots — an instructor and a cadet — had a close shave when a mini-aircraft nosedived into an open field at Mangalur in Babaleshwar taluk of the district on Sunday.

“Capt Kunal Malhotra, assistant flight instructor at Redbird Aviation, and trainee pilot Goutham Shankar P R ejected before aircraft crashed. They suffered injuries and were rushed to a hospital in Vijayapura. The mishap occurred when the aircraft was flying to Belagavi from Kalaburagi. More details awaited,” Vijayapura Superintendent of Police Laxman Nimbargi told reporters.

Civil aviation ministry said, “Redbird Flying Training Academy Limited’s Cessna 172 Aircraft, VT-EUC (MSN-17265717), made forced landing in a field near Bagalkot, 100 km east of Belagavi airport”.