Jharkhand Plane Crash News: A chartered air ambulance carrying seven people crashed shortly after taking off from Ranchi airport in Jharkhand on Monday, February 23, 2026. The aircraft, operated by Redbird Airways PvtLtd, was flying from Ranchi to Delhi when it went down in Kasaria panchayat of Chatra district near Simaria.
According to an official statement from Birsa Munda Airport, the Beechcraft C90 aircraft, registration VT-AJV, was operating a medical evacuation flight. There were seven people on board, including two crew members.
The aircraft took off at 7:11 p.m. IST. After establishing contact with Kolkata air traffic control, it lost communication and radar contact at about 7:34 p.m., approximately 100 nautical miles southeast of Varanasi, the statement said.
The plane was earlier reported to have disappeared from radar after contact was handed over to the next control station.
District administration teams reached the crash site and began search and rescue operations. An investigation team from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau is being sent to probe the incident. Authorities have not yet confirmed the condition of those on board.