Jharkhand Air Ambulance Crash: Air ambulance VT-AJV crashes near Simaria Chatra Jharkhand with 7 onboard from Ranchi to Delhi; DGCA confirms Beechcraft C90 down.
Jharkhand Air Ambulance Crash (Image: File)
NEW DELHI, 23 February— An air ambulance crashed near Simaria in Jharkhand's Chatra district shortly after takeoff from Ranchi. The Beechcraft C90 operated by Redbird Airways carried seven people bound for Delhi.
The DGCA issued a statement late Monday. It said Redbird Airways Pvt Ltd's VT-AJV Beechcraft C90 crashed in Kasaria Panchayat of Chatra district. The flight was a medical evacuation from Ranchi to Delhi.
Ranchi Airport Director Kumar confirmed to PTI. He reported the crash near Simaria in Chatra district. The state administration alerted airport officials. Seven people were onboard.
Air ambulance carrying seven people to Delhi from Ranchi crashes near Jharkhand's Simaria: Ranchi airport director
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 23, 2026
Ranchi Airport sources detailed the sequence. The medical flight took off from Ranchi. Contact was made with the next station. Control then handed over. After that, contact was lost. The plane did not reach back to Ranchi Airport. State authorities were informed. All standard operating procedures are now in effect.
DGCA officials confirmed the crash details Monday evening.
A charter plane disappeared from radar shortly after takeoff from Ranchi Airport: DGCA sources
— ANI (@ANI) February 23, 2026
The site is Kasaria Panchayat in Chatra district. This lies near Simaria. The plane departed Ranchi Airport. It vanished from radar soon after. ANI reported the charter plane disappeared shortly post-departure. Officials noted an unknown number of passengers and crew initially. DGCA later specified seven onboard.
Jharkhand Minister Dr. Irfan Ansari tweets - "...Upon receiving news of the incident, security agencies and local administration are on high alert. Search and rescue operations have been intensified in the probable area. No official confirmation of any kind has been made yet...I… pic.twitter.com/ZJgrbyBoQy
— ANI (@ANI) February 23, 2026
The plane was a Beechcraft C90. Registration VT-AJV. Operator Redbird Airways Pvt Ltd. It flew as an air ambulance. No further details on casualties or survivors emerged yet. Rescue efforts are underway per SOPs.
A: Seven people.
A: Medical evacuation from Ranchi to Delhi.
A: After handover to next station post-takeoff.
A: DGCA, Ranchi Airport Director Kumar, and state administration.
A: Beechcraft C90, registration VT-AJV.
Disclaimer: This is a developing story and the information is based on inputs from news agency reports. TSG does not independently confirm the information provided by the relevant sources.
