IndiaOne Air Crash Landing Rourkela: 6 Injured, All Safe in Emergency
"Mayday" call at 1:14 PM followed by a dramatic belly landing near Jalda. Pilots hailed as heroes for saving all lives on board flight IOA102.
First visuals from Jalda, Rourkela
Rourkela: A major aviation disaster was narrowly averted on Saturday afternoon when a nine-seater Cessna Grand Caravan aircraft operated by regional carrier IndiaOne Air made a forced emergency landing in an open field near Rourkela, Odisha.
All six occupants—four passengers and two crew members—survived the impact with only minor to moderate injuries, officials confirmed. The incident occurred around 1:20 PM IST, roughly 10 kilometers short of the Rourkela airstrip.
Key Highlights:
- Flight: IOA102 (Bhubaneswar to Rourkela)
- Aircraft: Cessna Grand Caravan EX (Registration VT-KSS)
- Cause: Mid-air technical malfunction / Engine Stall
- Status: All 6 occupants safe; shifted to RGH & JP Hospital
"Mayday, Mayday"
The flight departed Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar at approximately 12:25 PM. Roughly 50 minutes into the journey, while preparing for descent into Rourkela, the cockpit crew detected a critical technical snag.
According to Air Traffic Control sources, the pilot declared a "Mayday" emergency at 1:14 PM. Realizing they could not reach the runway, the pilots made a split-second decision to belly-land the aircraft in a grassy expanse near Jalda A Block (Raghunathpali area) to avoid populated residential zones.
"Pilots are Heroes"
Witnesses on the ground described seeing the small plane descend silently before skidding across the field.
"The plane came down fast but level. It hit the ground and slid," said a local resident. "We ran to help. It is a miracle there was no fire."
Odisha's Commerce and Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena praised the crew's actions, stating, "It was a major accident, but not a tragedy. The pilots' quick thinking saved lives today."
"I am deeply saddened by the incident but grateful that all passengers are safe by the grace of Lord Jagannath. I have directed immediate provision of the best medical care."
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) have ordered a formal probe to determine why the engine of the modern Cessna Caravan failed mid-flight.
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DGCA officials are en route to the crash site to secure the Black Box (CVDR).
Hospital sources confirm Pilots are conscious and speaking; undergoing CT scans.
Rescue operation declared complete. Police cordon off the wreckage area.
CRASH LOCATION
Jalda, Rourkela
