All 7 on board killed after Ranchi-Delhi air ambulance crashes in Jharkhand's Chatra

The crash occurred soon after the aircraft, operated by Redbird Airways Pvt Ltd., took off from Ranchi Airport at 7:11 p.m.

All seven people on board an air ambulance en route from Ranchi to Delhi have been killed after the aircraft crashed near Simaria in Jharkhand’s Chatra district on Monday night.  

The crash occurred soon after the aircraft, operated by Redbird Airways Pvt Ltd., took off from Ranchi Airport at 7:11 p.m. 

Among the seven on board were 1 patient, 1 doctor, 1 paramedic, 2 attendants, a pilot, and a co-pilot. Initially there were reports of one fatality, however, SP Sumit Kumar Agarwal  G later confirmed that all those on board died in the crash.

"We got information around 10 that an accident has happened. Getting here was difficult considering the terrain. The Delhi team will come here for investigation and try to recover the black box. Total number of deaths is seven," he said, reoported ANI.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Keerthishree G said the crash may have been caused by a thunderstorm.

"It crashed due to a thunderstorm. Unfortunately, the team of doctors found them dead. The total number of people is seven. Two were crew members, and the remaining five were a patient and the patient's family members," she said.

She further said that the prima facie evidence shows accident have been caused by bad weather, however, the exact cause behind the crash can be established only after a deatiled investigation by the aviation authorities. 

The Beechcraft C90 aircraft, registered as VT-AJV and operated by Redbird Airways Pvt Ltd, was on a medical evacuation mission from Ranchi to Delhi when it crashed in Kasaria Panchayat of Chatra district shortly after takeoff. The aircraft departed Ranchi at 7:11 p.m. and was expected to arrive in Delhi at approximately 10:00 p.m.

“On 23.02.2026, Redbird Airways Pvt Ltd Beechcraft C90 aircraft VT-AJV operating a medical evacuation (Air Ambulance) flight on the sector “Ranchi-Delhi” crashed in Kasaria Panchayat of Chatra district, in Jharkhand. There were seven persons on board, including two crew members,” the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said.

The aviation watchdog said that the  aircraft “requested for deviation due to weather” after making contact with Kolkata air traffic control. According to DGCA, the aircraft lost communication and radar contact with Kolkata at 7:34 pm, approximately 100 nautical miles south-east of Varanasi.

A team from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) was dispatched following the incident to investigate the cause of the crash.

Meanwhile, the preliminary report on the Learjet 45 plane crash in Baramati, in which NCP chief Ajit Pawar and four others died, will be released on or before February 28, Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said on Sunday.

With the inputs from agency....