Maheema had 70 hours solo flying experience
The ill-fated Cessna 152 aircraft took off from the Macherla airfield after the examiner issued permission on the fitness of the aircraft
Hyderabad: The woman trainee pilot, Maheema Gajraj, who died in an air crash on Saturday, had joined Flytech Aviation at Macherla in Andhra Pradesh four months ago, and had flown solo for about 70 hours, the sourcs in the flying school said.
Sources said the ill-fated Cessna 152 aircraft took off from the Macherla airfield in Guntur district after the examiner issued permission on the fitness of the aircraft.
Flytech Aviation official Monika Laxmi told that Maheema was staying in a hostel on the campus since she joined the course in October 2021.
"The Flytech management and its experts teams are on the way to the site where the aircraft crashed in Nalgonda district to analyse the mishap. An internal probe is on and will analyse the caus of the mishap. After conducting a proper probe, we will provide details," she said.
Sources said that the technical glitches might have been caused the aircraft crash. "Maheema had operated the same aircraft alone earlier. Minutes after the aircraft left Macherla, the signal system was cut off and there was no proper communication between the pilot and Flytech base camp," sources said.
Meanwhile, the Nalgonda police said they would speed up the investigation in connection with the aircraft mishap. The police officials said that they would coordinate with the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in probing the mishap.
Danger in the air
The city has seen several trainee aircraft crashes, both belonging to the Indian Air Force and to flying schools in the last five years.
September 28, 2017: A Kiran trainer aircraft crashed near Ankireddypalli in Keesara mandal in Medchal district.
October 6, 2019: Two pilots were killed after a trainer aircraft crashed in Sultanpur of Vikarabad district.
November 21, 2018: A trainee aircraft crashed in Shankarpalli in Ranga Reddy district due to a technical glitch. 25-year-old pilot Bhaskar Bhushan escaped unhurt.
November 28, 2018: Trainer aircraft crashed in Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri district.