Instructor derostered, flight grounded after trainee pilot injured at Kanpur airport

A trainee pilot sustained back injuries after being struck by a running propeller at Kanpur's Chakeri airport in India. The incident occurred on Friday evening during night instructional flying involving a twin-engine Tecnam P2006T aircraft operated by Garg Aviation.

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On 26.06.2026 Garg Aviation (FTO) twin engine Tecnam P2006T aircraft VT-NBV was engaged in night instructional flying at Kanpur (Chakeri) Airport. A flight instructor and a cadet were on board the aircraft. After landing, the trainee pilot deboarded the aircraft with the engine running. The cadet received injuries in her back due to being hit by the running propeller.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has taken immediate action, derostering the flying instructor and grounding the aircraft while an investigation is underway. According to the DGCA's statement, the trainee pilot deboarded the aircraft with the engine still running, resulting in the injury.

Captain Rajeev Bhalla, Garg Aviation's safety manager, indicated that the trainee might have used an emergency override to exit the aircraft before ensuring both engines were completely shut down. This action contravenes fundamental safety practices taught from the beginning of flight training, which mandate engine shutdown before disembarking.

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We are in the process of establishing the precise sequence of events that led the trainee pilot to attempt to exit the aircraft before ensuring that both engines had been shut down… SOPs require that both engines must be completely shut down before any pilot exits the aircraft. This is one of the most fundamental safety practices taught from the very beginning of flight training.

Bhalla explained that the aircraft's design includes a safety mechanism that locks the main door when the left engine is running, preventing accidental opening. However, this device can be manually bypassed. He noted that the student used this override, though the specific reason remains unclear. The injured trainee, who was nearing completion of her training, will be unable to fly for at least a month.

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The student used the emergency override due to which the door could open, as per our internal investigation. She did not have a specific reason for doing the same.

Industry insiders have raised questions about the use of the emergency override, with one senior instructor, speaking anonymously, suggesting that the instructor should have had sufficient time to intervene. The presence of CCTVs at the airport is expected to shed light on the exact sequence of events.

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If the student used the emergency, there should have been ample time for the instructor to act immediately and prevent the incident. CCTVs must reveal what went wrong.