Two killed as Flight Training Club aircraft crashes

Hyderabad, Sep 8 (UNI) Two people were killed and three injured, one of them sustained serious burns, when an aircraft of a private Flight Training Club crashed in the densely-populated Fatehnagar area here today.

The single-engine aircraft of the AP Flying Club with flight instructor Neeraj Jain and trainee pilot Srinivas, which took off from Begampet airstrip crashed a few minutes later on a house, police said.

Both the occupants were killed, while a woman resident of the house, on which the aircraft crashed, was rushed to a hospital with serious burn injuries. Two others also sustained minor injuries, eyewitnesses said.

However, a major accident was averted, when a fire broke out in the nearby Ganesh pandal. The residents swung into action and put out the blaze.

Police said initial information was that a chopper from the Flying Club had crashed. Senior revenue and police officials and fire tenders rushed to the spot. However, it turned out to be 'fixed-wing' aircraft.

Aviation sources said the aircraft could have flown a few 100 metres only and wanted to either hit or avoid a bird as the crash was just one km from the take-off strip.

The cause of the accident, however, is being investigated.

The Director-General of Civil Aviation is likely to investigate into the crash.

UNI SM/DB ROY LPB KN1710