DGCA had flagged Tecnam safety concerns weeks before the fatal Kanpur training aircraft crash

Aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had raised safety concerns related to Tecnam aircraft and issued recommendations to flying training organisations (FTOs) more than a month before a Tecnam P2006T crashed in Kanpur, killing an instructor and a trainee pilot. Official communications show that the regulator had raised issues concerning the aircraft at least twice since 2025. Tecnam planes are increasingly used by flying schools in India for pilot training. The latest advisory was issued on July 10, 2026, following recommendations from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) arising from its probe into a May 2022 accident involving another Tecnam P2006T in Bhiwani, Haryana.

Summer parking, emergency training flagged

In its July communication, the DGCA advised flying schools against leaving Tecnam aircraft parked on aprons or tarmacs for extended periods during summer before training sorties. It also sought greater emphasis on preparing pilots to deal with emergencies, particularly during critical stages of flight. Flying schools were told to revise their checklists to ensure that all emergency actions recommended by the original equipment manufacturer were explicitly included.

The directions were based on the AAIB's final investigation into the 2022 Bhiwani accident involving a twin-engine Tecnam P2006T operated by FSTC Flying School Pvt Ltd. The regulator had also sought information from flying schools about the operational performance of Tecnam aircraft earlier. A reminder sent on August 4, 2025, referred to an "Operational Assessment" of the performance of Tecnam aircraft and asked FTOs to submit feedback sought previously.

Instructor calls for safety reassessment

A flying instructor, speaking on condition of anonymity, said pilots and trainers had encountered difficulties while operating Tecnam aircraft and called for a wider examination of their safety and airworthiness.

The instructor compared the aircraft with Diamond and Cessna models, which have been extensively used for training, and said Tecnam's relatively lower cost had contributed to its growing popularity among flying schools.

The trainer claimed concerns existed with both single- and multi-engine Tecnam models and suggested that the DGCA consider temporarily grounding them until a comprehensive safety assessment was completed. However, the precise cause of the Kanpur crash has not yet been established, and investigators will have to determine whether any technical problem, maintenance issue or human factor contributed to the accident.

Aircraft crashed 20 minutes after take-off

The Tecnam P2006T operated by Garg Aviation crashed near Nathapurwa village in the Katri area along the Ganga in Kanpur on August 27. The aircraft, registered as VT-NBV, took off from Kanpur Civil Airport at around 11.30 am and went down roughly 20 minutes later. Flying instructor Sachin Bhatia and trainee pilot Abhishek Pujari were killed.

The instructor quoted above described Bhatia as an experienced trainer and said images of the wreckage appeared unusual compared with those from the 2022 Bhiwani accident. The trainer pointed to the extensive destruction of the fuselage in the latest crash, though such observations alone cannot establish what caused the aircraft to go down.

AAIB to investigate cause

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has said the AAIB will conduct a detailed investigation into the Kanpur accident. A three-member DGCA team will provide regulatory oversight and coordinate with investigators.

The probe is expected to scrutinise the aircraft's maintenance and airworthiness history, age, accumulated flying hours and engine operating limits. Investigators will also examine whether technical failure, operational circumstances or human factors played a role. Garg Aviation has maintained that the aircraft had no maintenance-related deficiencies before the accident. The crash and the earlier regulatory communications are likely to put renewed focus on the use of Tecnam aircraft by India's rapidly expanding pilot-training industry, particularly whether the safety recommendations already issued to flying schools were implemented before the fatal Kanpur flight.