Training aircraft crashes into Rajshahi potato field

A training aircraft crashed into a potato field in Rajshahi's Tanore upazila this afternoon.

Trainer Mizan and trainee Nahid Ershad, who were in the aircraft, were unharmed, reports our Rajshahi correspondent quoting Tanore Police Station Officer-in-charge Rakibul Hasan.

The aircraft, a Cessna 152 belonging to Bangladesh Flying Club, crashed at Talondo union's Lalpur village around 2:30pm, the OC said.

The aircraft overturned after it crashed into the field, he added.

The crash happened when the pilot was making an emergency landing, said training captain Mahfuzur Rahman of Bangladesh Flying Club, Rajshahi.

For those concerned, today on 14/3/2021, at approximately 02:25pm, a training aircraft of Bangladesh Flying Academy (Cessna-152) made an emergency landing at Debipur village of Lalpur Upazila (Thana-Tanore) in Rajshahi due to engine failure, said CAAB.

Mahfuzur said after the crash, the trainer and his trainee were on their way to the Combined Military Hospital in Rajshahi as a precautionary measure.

When asked for the reason behind the emergency landing, he said it could be known after investigation.

Trainee cadet Nahid told Prothom Alo the incident occurred as there was a glitch in the engine. "We are safe. The aircraft is damaged but there was no fire," Prothom Alo quoted Nahid as saying.

Ashraful Islam Ranju, a local, said he along with some friends were nearby when the aircraft crashed and that they had seen the plane flying since morning.

They saw the aircraft descending and it appeared out of control before it crashed into the field, he said.