The Beechcraft C90, run by Redbird Airways, took off from Ranchi’s Birsa Munda Airport at 7:11 PM. It was supposed to be a routine medical evacuation, but about 23 minutes later, things went wrong. The pilots asked to change their route as the weather got worse — reports mention thunderstorms, heavy rain, and strong winds. By 7:34 PM, the plane had lost both communication and radar contact with Kolkata air traffic control.
DON'T MISS
That night, search teams struggled through rough terrain and darkness. It wasn’t until between 10:00 and 10:20 PM that they found the wreckage near Simaria, deep in the forest.
Timeline of the Jharkhand Air Ambulance Crash
The aircraft departed Ranchi at 7:11 PM. Around 7:34 PM, the pilots reportedly sought a route deviation due to worsening weather conditions.
Within 23 minutes of takeoff, communication and radar contact were lost with Kolkata ATC. Hours later, between 10:00 and 10:20 PM, the plane was found crashed in a forested area near Simaria in Chatra.
Local reports cited thunderstorms, heavy rainfall and strong winds at the time. Rescue operations were difficult due to night conditions and rough terrain.
A specialised team from Delhi has reached the site to retrieve and examine the black box.
Who Were the Victims?
The people on board were:
– Captain Vivek Vikas Bhagat
– Captain Savrajdeep Singh
– Dr Vikas Kumar Gupta
– Sanjay Kumar, who was already fighting for his life with severe burns
– Attendants Sachin Kumar Mishra, Archana Devi, and Dhuru Kumar
Losing these professionals — especially those dedicated to saving lives — has hit the medical and aviation communities hard.
Aviation Safety Under Scrutiny
This crash is the third serious aviation incident in India in recent months, and people are worried. Experts point out that flying at night, in bad weather, over tough terrain, puts air ambulances at extra risk. Right now, investigators are digging into the black box data to figure out what exactly went wrong.
