Kathmandu— A trainer aircraft veered off the paved surface at the Baramati airfield in Maharashtra on Sunday during a training exercise, resulting in a runway excursion but causing no injuries to the two people on board. The incident occurred while the aircraft was performing a series of maneuvers, leading it to travel beyond the threshold of the runway.

Details of the Runway Excursion

The incident involved aircraft VT-SEX, which was carrying Captain Chirag Shashikant Doifode and Cadet Abhijeet Jundre at the time of the excursion. According to Pune Rural Superintendent of Police Sandeep Singh Gill, the aircraft had entered the runway via Link Bravo and attempted a rejected take-off at the threshold of Runway 29.

Following that maneuver, the aircraft lined up at the threshold of Runway 11 for another rejected take-off. During the exercise, the aircraft failed to come to a complete stop on the runway and continued past the threshold of Runway 29, eventually veering off the extended paved surface to the right.

Aviation Safety and Industry Growth

The incident comes as the Indian government and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) work to enhance safety standards across the aviation industry. The DGCA has organized seminars involving senior officials from the Civil Aviation Ministry, industry leaders, and aviation professionals to discuss safety enhancements.

India currently represents the world's third-largest domestic civil aviation market. Over the last decade, passenger traffic has grown at an average annual rate of 9%, while cargo volumes have increased by 2.9%. This growth is reflected in the expanding fleet of Indian carriers, which has grown from 395 aircraft in 2014 to a projected 844 by 2025.

No injuries were reported following the incident.

(With inputs from ANI)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.