NEW DELHI: A charter plane carrying seven people onboard, including two crew members crashed near Simaria in Jharkhand on Monday, shortly after takeoff from Ranchi Airport. The aircraft, en-route to Delhi, was earlier reported to have disappeared from radar, officials said.According to the Ranchi Airport Director, the flight was an air ambulance. It departed as scheduled, with communication established with the next control station before air traffic control was handed over. However, contact was subsequently lost, and the plane did not re-establish communication with Ranchi Airport.
Rescue team is on scene while Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is being dispatched for further action.“On 23.02.2026 Redbird Airways Pvt Ltd Beechcraft C90 aircraft VT-AJV operating medical evacuation (Air Ambulance) flight on sector “Ranchi-Delhi” crashed in Kasaria Panchayat of Chatra district, in Jharkhand. There were seven persons on board including two crew members,” stated the official airport statement. Offering further details it added, “The aircraft was airborne from Ranchi at 19:11 IST. After establishing contact with Kolkata, at 19:34 IST aircraft lost communication and RADAR contact with Kolkata at approximately 100 NM South-East of Varanasi. District Administration search and rescue team is at the location and AAIB team is being dispatched for investigation. Further information will be shared.”Meanwhile, DGCA in an official statement said, “On 23.02.2026 Redbird Airways Pvt Ltd Beechcraft C90 aircraft VT-AJV operating medical evacuation (Air Ambulance) flight on sector “Ranchi-Delhi” crashed in Kasaria Panchayat of Chatra district, in Jharkhand. There were seven persons on board including two crew members. The aircraft was airborne from Ranchi at 19:11 IST. After establishing contact with Kolkata, aircraft requested for deviation due to weather, at 19:34 IST aircraft lost communication and RADAR contact with Kolkata at approximately 100 NM South-East of Varanasi. The District Administration search and rescue team is at the location and the AAIB team is being dispatched for investigation. Further information will be shared.”
