Seven killed as Ranchi–Delhi medical evacuation flight goes down in Chatra
February 24, 2026: All seven people on board a medical evacuation flight from Ranchi to New Delhi were killed after the aircraft crashed in Jharkhand’s Chatra district on Monday evening, officials confirmed. According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the Beechcraft C90 aircraft, operated by Delhi-based Redbird Airways (tail number VT-AJV), departed Ranchi at 7.11 pm and lost communication and radar contact at 7.34 pm — less than half an hour after take-off. The plane was on a mission to transport a patient to Delhi and was expected to land around 10 pm.
Airport sources said the aircraft had established initial contact with Kolkata Air Traffic Control and requested a route deviation due to adverse weather before control was handed over to the next station. Shortly thereafter, contact was lost. The DGCA stated that the aircraft went down in a forested area near Simaria in Chatra district. On board were two pilots, patient Sanjay Kumar, Dr Vikash Kumar Gupta, paramedic S K Mishra, and two attendants. All seven were declared dead after the crash was reported around 10.20 pm.
A formal probe has been launched, with a team from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) reaching the site to begin investigations. Officials said challenging terrain delayed access to the crash location. Authorities are expected to examine weather conditions, technical aspects and flight communication records. Recovery of the flight data recorder, commonly known as the black box, will be crucial in determining the cause of the fatal accident.