Ranchi-Delhi air ambulance crash kills all 7 onboard; plane went off radar after weather deviation request

A Ranchi-Delhi air ambulance carrying a critically injured patient and medical team crashed in Jharkhand’s Chatra district on Monday night, killing all seven people onboard.

The aircraft, a Beechcraft C90 operated by Redbird Airways, was transporting a 41-year-old burn victim, Sanjay Kumar, to Delhi for advanced treatment. He had suffered severe burn injuries and was being shifted from Ranchi’s Devkamal Hospital when the crash occurred.

Also onboard were a doctor, a paramedic, two attendants, and two pilots, all of whom lost their lives in the accident.

#WATCH | An air ambulance, with seven people (including 2 crew members) on board, crashed in Kasariya Panchayat, Simariya block of Chatra district, in Jharkhand.

It was a Redbird Airways Pvt Ltd Beechcraft C90 aircraft VT-AJV operating a medical evacuation (air ambulance)… pic.twitter.com/D5xSjYVCkZ

— ANI (@ANI) February 23, 2026

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Lost contact after requesting weather deviation

The aircraft took off from Ranchi’s Birsa Munda Airport at 7:11 pm and initially established communication with Kolkata air traffic control. Soon after, the crew requested a deviation due to bad weather conditions along the route.

However, within minutes, the plane lost radar contact at around 7:34 pm, approximately 100 nautical miles southeast of Varanasi. It failed to reconnect with either Varanasi or Lucknow air traffic control afterward, raising immediate alarm.

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Debris was later discovered deep inside the Kasiyatu forest near Simaria in Jharkhand’s Chatra district, confirming the crash.

Officials say poor weather may have played a role, but a definitive cause will only emerge after a full investigation. Ranchi airport director Vinod Kumar said inclement weather was a possible factor, though nothing has been confirmed yet.

Fresh concerns over aviation safety

The crash has once again put the spotlight on India’s non-scheduled aviation sector, particularly charter operators and air ambulance services. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has begun gathering evidence, including radar data and operational records, to determine what went wrong.

Redbird Airways, founded in 2018, operates charter flights and medical evacuation services across India, equipped with onboard medical teams and life-saving equipment.