The fatal crash of a Redbird Airways air ambulance in Jharkhand’s Chatra district on February 23 has brought renewed scrutiny on the New Delhi–based aviation operator and its wider network, including its closely linked flight training academy, which has faced repeated regulatory action in recent years.
The aircraft involved in Monday’s crash a Beechcraft King Air C90 (VT-AJV) — was owned and operated by Redbird Airways Pvt Ltd and was flying a medical evacuation mission from Ranchi to Delhi when it lost radar and communication contact shortly after take-off. Seven people, including two pilots, a critically ill patient, a doctor, a paramedic and two attendants, were on board. All are feared dead.
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The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has confirmed the crash, while the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has dispatched a team to the site to determine the cause.
Past safety concerns and regulatory action
The recent incident has also reignited concerns about Redbird’s safety record, especially in the wake of discoveries related to its sister company, Redbird Flight Training Academy (RFTA).
In November 2023, the DGCA suspended flying training operations at Redbird Flight Training Academy due to five aircraft accidents reported in six months. The preliminary reports published by the AAIB on two accidents involving aircraft near Baramati in October 2023 indicated serious concerns, including the manipulation of Secure Digital (SD) data cards, which act as flight data recorders in single-engine trainer aircraft.
According to the preliminary findings of the AAIB, the SD cards of the crashed aircraft were extracted and manipulated before the AAIB could lock down the accident site. In one incident, the AAIB was informed that the SD card had been extracted by the operator, despite no such directive having been given by either the AAIB or the DGCA. File properties later indicated that the data had been manipulated hours after the accident.
The AAIB also noted that engine performance data was missing, and that the flying school failed to provide several documents sought by investigators.
Air safety expert Capt Amit Singh, reacting to the findings at the time, told The Times of India that tampering with evidence amounted to a serious offence under Section 204 of the Indian Penal Code, and raised concerns over the enforcement of investigative authority.
A pattern of incidents
Over the past five years, aircraft linked to Redbird Airways and its training academy have been involved in multiple accidents and serious incidents, including trainer aircraft crashes in Baramati, Kalaburagi, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka, alongside the fatal Jharkhand air ambulance crash this week.
Although Redbird Airways and Redbird Flight Training Academy are considered to be two separate entities, aviation authorities do agree that the operational and organizational closeness of the two entities brings them under greater scrutiny due to the tragic event that occurred on Monday.
What’s happens next
According to aviation authorities, the AAIB investigation into the Jharkhand crash will focus on flight records, weather patterns, maintenance records of the aircraft, pilot records, and air traffic control conversations. The results of the investigation may not only affect Redbird Airways’ air ambulance services but may also affect the regulation of chartered medical flights in India.
