A nearly four-decade-old Beechcraft C90A aircraft that crashed in Jharkhand, claiming seven lives, was not equipped with essential recording devices that could have aided investigators, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has confirmed.
The twin-turboprop plane, registered VT-AJV and operated by Redbird Airways Pvt Ltd as an air ambulance, went down shortly after departing from Ranchi en route to Delhi on February 23. The crash occurred in a forested area near Simaria in Chatra district, killing all five passengers—including a critically ill individual—and the two crew members on board.
According to a senior DGCA official, the aircraft was manufactured in 1987, with its first Certificate of Airworthiness issued that same year. Its airworthiness certificate remained valid until January 20, 2027. The plane’s maximum take-off weight stood at 4,583 kg.
Crucially, the aircraft lacked both a Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and a Flight Data Recorder (FDR)—commonly referred to as black boxes—which capture vital audio from the cockpit and key flight parameters. A senior DGCA official explained that no regulatory mandate required the installation of these devices on this particular aircraft at the time of its original certification.
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Current civil aviation norms stipulate that CVRs are mandatory only for aircraft below 5,700 kg maximum take-off weight if their airworthiness certificate was issued on or after January 1, 2016. Similarly, FDRs are required for such lighter aircraft only if certified on or after January 1, 1987—but specific thresholds and applicability dates exempted this 1987-certified model.
The absence of these recorders is expected to complicate the ongoing investigation, as they typically provide critical insights into crew communications, aircraft performance, and potential contributing factors in accidents.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is leading the probe into the cause of the crash.
This incident marks the second fatal accident involving a non-scheduled operator aircraft in recent weeks. On January 28, a Learjet 45 operated by VSR Ventures crashed in Baramati, Maharashtra, killing five people, including Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.
In response to mounting safety concerns from these events, the DGCA has introduced stricter oversight for non-scheduled operators, including enhanced audits and a new safety ranking system.
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