DGCA launches probe into Cessna aircraft crash at flying academy in Maharashtra's Dhule district; pilot safe

New Delhi:  A trainer aircraft crashed at a flying academy in Maharashtra’s Shirpur on Friday following which aviation regulator DGCA is probing the incident, a senior official said. While the student pilot is safe, the Cessna 172R was extensively damaged in the crash, the official said. [caption id=“attachment_6111341” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. ANI[/caption] The incident happened at the NMIMS Academy of Aviation at Shirpur in Dhule district. “The plane took off at 11.05 am on Friday. When it was attempting to land after 56 minutes of flying, it crashed on the fencing on the left side. We will be probing the incident,” said the official of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). “The student pilot - who was flying the plane - is safe. He was shifted to Dhule district after receiving initial treatment at Shirpur,” he said. The official added the aircraft was damaged extensively, especially its “wings, engine and propeller”. The student is safe and is currently out of danger, the official said. The DGCA is going to investigate the crash at the flying academy. The academy has three Cessna 172R aircraft in its fleet.