A dramatic emergency landing in a paddy field averted a potential tragedy in Odisha on Thursday, as pilots of an IndiaOne Air flight deftly handled an apparent engine failure, saving the lives of all six people on board. The aircraft, en route from Bhubaneswar to Rourkela, was forced to land approximately 10 kilometers short of its destination.
The Emergency Maneuver and Safe Evacuation
The incident involved a single-engine Cessna 208 Caravan, a nine-seater aircraft operated by IndiaOne Air. On board were two crew members, Captain Naveen Kadanga and co-pilot Tarun Srivastava, and four passengers: Susanta Kumar Biswal, Anita Sahoo, Sunil Agarwal, and Sabita Agarwal. The flight had taken off from Bhubaneswar's Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) at 12:27 pm and was scheduled to land in Rourkela at 1:19 pm.
As the plane approached the Rourkela airport, the pilots encountered serious trouble, suspected to be engine failure. Close to the airport, they issued a critical "May Day" alert to the Rourkela Air Traffic Control (ATC), informing them they were "landing in the field." The plane subsequently force-landed in a field at Kainser village in Sundargarh district at 1:17 pm, the moment the ATC lost contact.
Immediate Aftermath and Investigation Launched
All occupants were successfully evacuated from the aircraft. While they sustained minor injuries, their condition was reported as stable. Two individuals, a captain and a passenger, suffered head injuries. Sundargarh Collector Subhankar Mohapatra assured that further medical support would be provided if needed.
A fire services team rushed to the site for rescue operations and sprayed foam and water on the aircraft due to an oil leak. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has ordered a probe into the incident. Preliminary reports suggest the aircraft may have scraped a high-tension electric wire during the forced landing, causing a power failure in 10 nearby villages. Rourkela SP Nitesh Wadhwani confirmed there was no report of a mid-air shock from the wire contact.
Authorities have cordoned off the crash site to secure aircraft parts crucial for the investigation. A DGCA fact-finding team is en route to the location.
Praise for Pilots and Analysis of the Landing
Officials praised the pilots' composure and skill during the crisis. DIG (Western Range) Brijesh Rai, who spoke to co-pilot Tarun Srivastava, said, "They have done a commendable job as at that life-and-death moment, they did not lose their cool and kept manoeuvring till the plane was on the ground." He noted the pilots handled the situation to ensure minimum damage to the plane and maximum safety for all.
Aviation experts analyzing the event suggested that the pilots likely realized they could not reach the Rourkela airstrip runway, which was just eight nautical miles away. One expert stated, "From the initial impression it looks like things could have been disastrous had the plane not been force-landed. It looks like a nicely executed landing that ensured safety of crew and passengers."
Odisha's Transport Minister, Bibhuti Bhushan Jena, mentioned the plane nosedived slightly due to a sudden drop in pressure, leading to a loss of balance. He confirmed an investigation would be carried out promptly, with efforts to normalize flight operations in Rourkela.
The passengers included siblings Susanta and Anita from Rourkela, and a married couple, Sunil and Sabita Agarwal, from Bhubaneswar, who were traveling to attend a family event in Rourkela.
