Did bad weather cause air ambulance crash in Jharkhand?

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February 24, 2026 14:17 IST

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An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the fatal air ambulance crash in Jharkhand that claimed seven lives, with authorities examining weather conditions and potential technical issues.

Plane crashes in Jharkhand

IMAGE: Wreckage of Redbird Airways air ambulance en route from Ranchi to Delhi which crashed on 23rd February, killing all seven onboard including a patient, near Simaria, in Chatra. Photograph: ANI video grab

Key Points

  • An air ambulance crash in Jharkhand resulted in the death of all seven people on board, prompting an official investigation.
  • The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau is investigating the crash site to determine the cause of the accident.
  • Investigators are focusing on weather conditions and potential technical malfunctions as contributing factors to the crash.
  • The aircraft, operated by Redbird Airways, lost communication shortly after takeoff from Ranchi.
  • This is the second crash in less than a month involving a non-scheduled operator, raising concerns about aviation safety.

Authorities are looking into the main factors, including weather conditions, that could have led to the fatal crash of an air ambulance that killed seven people in Jharkhand on Monday evening, according to officials.

Redbird Airways Pvt Ltd's Beechcraft C90 aircraft VT-AJV enroute from Ranchi to Delhi crashed soon after takeoff. There were five people and two crew members onboard.

One of the officials said a conclusion on what could have led to the crash is yet to be reached and from initial inputs, and the weather conditions at the time of the crash would also be looked into.

Investigation Details

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) team is already at the crash site.

Delhi-based RedBird Airways has a fleet of six planes, as per information available with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). This includes the aircraft that crashed on Monday.

It could not be ascertained whether the black box of the aircraft has been recovered.

DGCA on Monday said the aircraft 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, at 19:34 IST aircraft lost communication and RADAR contact with Kolkata approximately 100 NM South-East of Varanasi," the DGCA had said in a statement.

The crash was the second in less than a month involving a plane operated by a non-scheduled operator. On January 28, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others died in a plane crash near Baramati.