Engine Glitch Triggers Private Plane Crash in Karnataka’s Vijaypura, Captain and Trainee Pilot Injured

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captain and a trainee pilot were injured on Sunday, February 8, after a private training aircraft operated by Red Bird Aviation crashed in Karnataka’s Vijayapura district following an engine malfunction. The incident occurred near Mangalore village, where the light aircraft was carrying the two occupants at the time. Both were hurt in the crash and were taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital for treatment. The aircraft went down in a field. Visuals from the site showed it overturned after impact, with the nose section heavily damaged.Visuals Here:

VIDEO | A private jet crashes in Karnataka’s Vijayapura. Further details awaited.(Full video available on https://t.co/n147TvqRQz) pic.twitter.com/XkN0FoV152

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 8, 2026

The aircraft was en route from Kalaburagi to Belagavi when it was forced into an emergency landing after running low on fuel. It eventually went down in a farmer’s field in Mangalur village.The injured have been identified as captain Kunal Malhotra and trainee pilot Goutam Sankar. Both were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.Police from the Babaleshwar station rushed to the site soon after the crash, which falls under their jurisdiction. The aircraft involved has been identified as a Cessna 172 Tango Charlie.The exact cause of the incident is yet to be determined, and a detailed investigation is currently underway.