Sagar, Madhya Pradesh – A training aircraft veered off the runway at Dhana Airstrip in Sagar district on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, prompting renewed concerns about aviation safety in the region. The incident occurred as emergency teams were preparing the airstrip for the emergency airlift of an injured soldier.

According to Additional Superintendent of Police Lokendra Singh, the aircraft, belonging to Chimes Aviation Academy (CAA), skidded off the runway during take-off and nosedived into the scrubland adjacent to the airstrip. The solo pilot aboard the aircraft miraculously escaped without injuries.

Eyewitnesses reported a sudden loss of control, followed by a cloud of dust and debris as the plane left the runway and collided with the rough terrain. Fortunately, the aircraft did not catch fire, and there was no immediate indication of significant structural damage.

The Dhana Airstrip, located in the Sagar district, serves as the primary training base for Chimes Aviation Academy. CAA lists the Dhana facility among its certified flying bases.

This incident marks the second involving a training aircraft in Madhya Pradesh within three days. On Monday, a training aircraft belonging to Redbird Flight Training Academy crashed near Seoni district after hitting a high-voltage power line. The pilot and flight instructor sustained injuries but are now out of danger. The wing's impact severed the power line, causing electricity disruption in approximately 80-90 villages.

The latest incident has reignited debates regarding the recurring mishaps at the Dhana airstrip, which has a history of trainer plane accidents. In January 2020, a trainer plane crashed in a foggy agricultural field during landing, resulting in the deaths of the flight instructor and trainee.

Following the 2020 incident, the Sagar district administration had allegedly found the private academy flouting the norms and temporarily banned Chimes Aviation from accessing the Dhana airstrip. The ban was later lifted.

In July 2021, a Cessna 172R (VT-CAG) operated by the academy experienced a runway excursion during take-off or landing at Dhana Airstrip, with the trainee pilot escaping unhurt.

Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of Wednesday's mishap, focusing on potential factors such as pilot error, technical failure, and the condition of the runway/airstrip. CAA and the local administration are expected to release a detailed statement following the investigation.

The recurring incidents at Dhana Airstrip raise serious questions about safety protocols and infrastructure maintenance at aviation training facilities in the region.