2 pilots killed as training aircraft crashes in northern India

Two pilots were killed when a training aircraft crashed in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, according to officials on Thursday.

The incident took place in Kanpur after a four-seat, twin-engine aircraft took off from a training center, Raghubir Lal, a senior police official in the area, told reporters.

India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation said the aircraft was on a training flight in the local flying area of Kanpur Civil Airport when it crashed Thursday afternoon.

“There were two persons on board, a trainee pilot and an instructor. Both sustained fatal injuries in the accident,” it said in a statement.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau has been informed and “will undertake a detailed investigation into the accident in accordance with the applicable rules,” the ministry said.

“The circumstances and cause of the accident will be determined through the investigation,” it added.