A Cessna 172 and an Indian Air Force Pilatus PC-7 went down on Thursday and Friday respectively. There were no fatalities or injuries.
Published Nov 14, 2025 | 5:17 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 14, 2025 | 5:17 PM
Aviation authorities have launched detailed investigations into both incidents.
Synopsis: Two training aircraft crashes on consecutive days close to residential and high-traffic areas in Tamil Nadu have raised public concern. A Cessna 172 and an Indian Air Force Pilatus PC-7 went down on Thursday and Friday respectively. There were no fatalities or injuries, but the back-to-back incidents have prompted scrutiny of training flight safety standards.
Two training aircraft crashes in Tamil Nadu on successive days have unsettled the public, particularly as both incidents took place close to residential areas and zones with heavy traffic.
The afternoon of Thursday, 13 November, saw a Cessna 172 two-seater training aircraft make an emergency landing on the Pudukottai–Tiruchi highway near Ammachathiram village at about 12.45 pm, startling road users and residents.
A day later, on Friday, 14 November, another training aircraft crashed near Thiruporur in Chengalpattu district in the Uppalam area.
The two crashes in quick succession have raised concerns over training flight safety. Aviation authorities have launched detailed investigations into both incidents to determine the cause of the malfunctions.
#TamilNadu: A training #aircraft belonging to Indian Airforce crashed near Thiruporur in #Chengalpattu district after developing a technical snag during a training session. The aircraft fell into a marshy area and exploded with a loud noise on impact. The pilot managed to eject… pic.twitter.com/Y88L7IHuLb
— South First (@TheSouthfirst) November 14, 2025
Thursday’s crash involving the Cessna 172 resulted in no injuries to the two occupants on board, identified as Rahul, the pilot, and Hasir, a trainee pilot, the Hindu reported.
The aircraft belonged to a private flying training organisation based in Salem. It had taken off from Salem on a training mission to Karaikudi and was on its return leg, flying over Tiruchi, when the pilot encountered an issue.
Airport Director SS Raju told the Hindu that the pilot contacted the Air Traffic Control tower at Tiruchi International Airport and declared a full-scale emergency, reporting an “engine failure”.
As the aircraft could not remain airborne long enough to reach Tiruchi airport, the pilot carried out an emergency landing on the highway, a route typically busy with traffic.
The landing caused damage to the aircraft’s front portion, but both flyers escaped unharmed. The Pudukottai district administration and Tiruchi airport authorities have begun an inquiry into the incident.
Before the shock of the first incident could settle, another training aircraft crashed the very next day.
The aircraft, which was engaged in a training exercise, developed a technical snag and plunged into a marshy field. It exploded on impact with a loud noise, scattering debris over a wide area.
The two pilots on board ejected using parachutes just in time and survived.
Preliminary investigations reveal that the aircraft was a Pilatus PC-7 training aircraft belonging to the Indian Air Force.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
