In a fortunate turn of events, a small aircraft carrying six individuals executed a dramatic emergency landing in an open field in Odisha on Saturday afternoon, with all occupants surviving the incident.
Timeline of the Emergency Landing
The aircraft involved was a Cessna Grand Caravan EX, registered as VT-KSS, operated by the regional carrier IndiaOne Air. It was conducting a scheduled flight, numbered I7102, from the state capital Bhubaneswar to the industrial city of Rourkela.
According to data from the flight tracking service Flightradar24, the plane departed Bhubaneswar at 12:26 pm. The journey took a perilous turn when the pilots encountered a technical snag. Responding to the crisis, the crew issued a May Day distress call, alerting authorities to their critical situation.
Displaying considerable skill under pressure, the pilots managed to guide the stricken aircraft to a forced landing. They touched down in an open field approximately 20 kilometers short of their intended destination, Rourkela, at 1:20 pm.
Passenger Safety and Immediate Aftermath
The aircraft had a total of six people on board: two crew members and four passengers. Miraculously, initial reports confirm that there were no fatalities resulting from the crash landing. However, those onboard did sustain injuries and were promptly transported to a nearby hospital for medical evaluation and treatment. The exact nature and severity of their injuries have not been detailed in the immediate aftermath.
IndiaOne Air, the airline operating the flight, is a Ahmedabad-based company focusing on regional connectivity within the country. The incident is certain to draw significant scrutiny from the national aviation regulator.
Regulatory Investigation Launched
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), India's aviation safety regulator, has taken note of the incident. Officials have confirmed that a formal statement regarding the crash will be issued shortly. Standard procedure dictates that the DGCA will launch a thorough investigation to determine the root cause of the technical snag that led to the emergency.
Investigators are expected to examine multiple factors, including maintenance records, pilot communications, and the aircraft's flight data. The successful emergency landing, which prevented loss of life, will be a key focus of the inquiry, potentially offering lessons for future pilot training and emergency protocols.
