Private jet skids off runway during takeoff in UP, Passengers escape unhurt

A private jet belonging to a food processing company narrowly avoided disaster after it skidded off the runway during takeoff at Mohammadabad airstrip in Uttar Pradesh’s Farrukhabad district on Thursday morning. The aircraft, bound for Bhopal, went out of control shortly after lifting off and skidded for nearly 400 metres before coming to a halt in the grassy area adjacent to the runway.

Executives Onboard Escape Unhurt

The jet was carrying senior officials of Woodpecker Greenagri Nutrients Private Limited, including Deputy Managing Director Ajay Arora, SBI Head Sumit Sharma, and BPO Rakesh Tiku. Pilots Captain Naseeb Bamal and Captain Prateek Fernandes were at the controls. Fortunately, all passengers escaped without injuries.

Suspected Technical Fault and Negligence Alleged

Preliminary reports suggest that low air pressure in the aircraft’s tyres may have caused the incident. However, Manish Kumar Pandey, the company’s Uttar Pradesh project head, alleged that the pilots were aware of the issue before takeoff. “This could have been avoided had the pilot exercised caution,” he said.

Authorities Begin Probe

Officials, including Deputy Superintendent of Police Ajay Verma, SDM Rajnikanth, and Additional SDM Ravindra Kumar, reached the site immediately. The fire brigade later claimed they were not informed of the scheduled flight and that the mandatory treasury fee had not been deposited.

A Close Call

While the company’s team has arranged an alternative flight from Agra, the incident raises serious questions about pre-flight safety checks and regulatory compliance at smaller airstrips.