Trainer plane crashes in Punjab's Patiala, IAF pilot killed

Patiala, Feb 24 (IANS) An Indian Air Force officer was killed and a NCC cadet injured when their single-engine, two-seater trainer plane crashed in Patiala city in Punjab, officials said. The Pipistrel Virus SW aircraft belonging to the Patiala Aviation Club was used to teach flying to NCC cadets. It crashed soon after takeoff in the military area near the club on the Sangrur-Patiala road. The deceased pilot, identified as Wing Commander GS Cheema, sustained a grievous head injury. He was deployed to teach flying to cadets of the NCC 3rd Air Squadron. "Wing Commander Cheema of the Indian Air Force was on deputation with the NCC to train the cadets in flying. The injured cadet, Vipan Kumar Yadav, is a student of Government Mohindra College here. He has been shifted to the Command Hospital in Chandimandir near Panchkula in Haryana," Senior Superintendent of Police Mandeep Singh Sidhu told the media. Chief Minister Amarinder Singh mourned the pilot's demise and wished a speedy recovery to the injured cadet.
--IANS vg/tsb/bg