Rourkela, Odisha: A small, nine-seater private aircraft crash-landed near Rourkela, Odisha, on Saturday, January 10, 2026, injuring all six people on board. The incident occurred approximately 10 kilometers from Rourkela, near Jalda A Block under Raghunathpali police limits.
The aircraft, operated by IndiaOne Air, was en route from Bhubaneswar to Rourkela as part of a regular flight service. According to airport sources, the flight number was C-208. The aircraft was scheduled to land in Rourkela at 1:15 PM, but made an emergency landing before reaching the airstrip.
Odisha's Commerce and Transport Minister, B.B. Jena, confirmed that the passengers sustained minor injuries and are in stable condition. Director of Biju Patnaik International Airport, Prasanna Pradhan, stated that there were four passengers and two crew members on board. The crew members were identified as Capt Naveen Kadanga and Capt Tarun Srivastava. The four passengers have been identified as Susanta Kumar Biswal, Anita Sahoo, Sunil Agarwal and Sabita Agarwal.
Eyewitnesses reported that the aircraft appeared to be attempting an emergency landing before it came down in an open grassland. The pilot's attempt at a belly landing after detecting a technical fault mid-flight is credited with preventing more serious casualties.
Following the incident, rescue teams were immediately dispatched to the scene, and the injured were transported to a local hospital for medical treatment.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed his concern over the incident and assured that the injured would receive the best possible medical care. In a social media post, Majhi conveyed his sadness and confirmed that he was personally monitoring the situation.
Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena described the incident as a "major accident" but confirmed that no lives were lost. He indicated that a mechanical fault is suspected to be the cause of the crash and assured that a detailed investigation would be conducted to determine the exact cause. The Director General of Civil Aviation has been notified, and the state government has sent a director to visit the accident site.
