Small Aircraft Crashes Near Rourkela, Passengers and Crew Injured

A nine-seater aircraft carrying six passengers crashed near Rourkela, Odisha, shortly after takeoff for Bhubaneswar. Fortunately, there were no fatalities, but both passengers and crew sustained injuries. Emergency teams promptly arrived to assist the injured, who were taken to a hospital. The incident has raised safety concerns, and local authorities are on high alert. Preliminary investigations suggest mechanical failure may have caused the crash. A detailed inquiry is set to uncover the exact circumstances surrounding this unfortunate event.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jan 10, 2026, 16:31 IST

Incident Overview

On Saturday, a nine-seater aircraft carrying six passengers met with an accident near the airstrip in the Jagda block of Rourkela, Odisha. Initial reports indicate that the plane was attempting to take off for Bhubaneswar when it crashed shortly after departure. The aircraft, operated by IndiGo, encountered a malfunction and fell near the airstrip. At the time of the incident, there were two pilots aboard the Charlie-208 aircraft. Fortunately, there have been no reports of fatalities, although both passengers and pilots sustained injuries.

Emergency Response

Emergency teams quickly arrived at the scene to assist the injured, transporting them to a nearby hospital. All crew members and passengers are reported to be out of danger. Firefighters from Rourkela and Panposh were also called in to aid in the rescue efforts. The injured pilots have been identified as Captain Naveen Kadanga and co-pilot Tarun Srivastava, while the injured passengers include Sushant Kumar Bival, Anita Sahu, Sunil Agarwal, and Sabita Agarwal.

Location and Safety Measures

The aircraft crashed approximately 10 kilometers from Rourkela, in the area of Jalda. In response to the incident, local authorities and relevant agencies have been placed on high alert, implementing safety measures and assistance protocols. Prasanna Pradhan, the director of Bhubaneswar Airport, confirmed the occurrence of the incident. Additionally, the state's transport minister, B.B. Jena, stated that all injured individuals are in stable condition, describing the crash of the A-1 nine-seater private aircraft as an unfortunate event. He expressed relief that it was not a major disaster, attributing the lack of severe injuries to divine intervention.

Investigation into the Cause

Preliminary assessments suggest that mechanical failure may have contributed to the crash. Airport sources indicated that this was a regular flight operated by a private carrier between Rourkela and Bhubaneswar. A thorough investigation will be conducted to determine the exact cause of the accident.