A Cessna 172 trainer aircraft, more than five decades old, made a forced landing near Belagavi airport after reportedly running out of fuel, the Union Civil Aviation Ministry said. Both pilots on board escaped safely.
The aircraft, bearing registration VT-EUC and operated by Redbird Flight Training Academy, was flying from Kalaburagi to Belagavi when it crash-landed in an open field near Vijayapura, around 50 to 70 kilometres from Belagavi airport. The incident occurred on Sunday afternoon.
In an official statement, the ministry said the aircraft, manufactured in 1975, experienced suspected fuel starvation, leading to the emergency landing. The plane reportedly broke into three pieces on impact. A flight instructor and a trainee pilot were on board at the time.
The ministry said the aircraft was registered with Redbird on May 23, 2023, and received its certificate of airworthiness on September 20, 2023. Its Airworthiness Review Certificate was issued on August 1, 2025, and remains valid until August 3, 2026. The Pilot-in-Command had logged 734 flying hours.
Redbird Flight Training Academy operates a fleet of 48 aircraft, and its Flying Training Organisation approval is valid until July 22, 2030. The academy was approved by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in July 2020.
A senior official of the academy told reporters that preliminary findings suggested the pilots may not have uplifted sufficient fuel, resulting in the forced landing. However, the academy has not issued any official statement.
The civil aviation ministry said further investigation will be conducted by the DGCA and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). Authorities are also reviewing safety procedures, as the academy has faced scrutiny in the past following similar incidents.
