A single-engine plane sits mangled in a field in Jalda. It’s a sight nobody wants to see. Today, January 17, 2026, the news out of Odisha took a somber turn as we learned that Susanta Kumar Biswal, a 46-year-old passenger from the IndiaOne Air crash, has passed away.
He didn't make it.
After fighting for his life since the January 10 emergency landing near Rourkela, Biswal succumbed to his injuries at a private hospital. He was actually being prepared for an airlift to Mumbai for specialized treatment when his heart gave out. A massive cardiac arrest. Just like that, a mechanical glitch from a week ago claimed its first fatality.
What Really Happened With the India Plane Crash Today?
The details are kinda messy. Basically, the flight—a Cessna Grand Caravan 208—was hopping from Bhubaneswar to Rourkela. It’s a routine regional route. But about 10 kilometers out from the Rourkela airstrip, things went south.
The pilot, Naveen Kadanga, and co-pilot Tarun Shrivastava had to put the plane down in a field. Why? Technical glitches. The "glitch" word is always vague, but in this case, it forced a nine-seater aircraft into the dirt.
There were six people on board.
- Two pilots.
- Four passengers.
Initially, everyone survived the impact. But Biswal’s head injuries were severe. Toss in some complications with existing health issues, and today’s update turned a rescue story into a tragedy. Honestly, it's a stark reminder that even "minor" regional crashes have long tails.
The Chaos at Delhi Airport
While Odisha was mourning, Delhi was dealing with its own brand of aviation "almost-disaster." You’ve probably seen the photos of the Air India A350. It’s a brand-new wide-body jet, but it’s currently grounded at IGI Airport because it literally swallowed a cargo container.
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You can't make this up.
The flight, AI101, was supposed to be in New York. Instead, it’s stuck in a hangar. Because of the Iran airspace closure, the plane had to turn back. While taxiing in some of that legendary, thick-as-soup Delhi fog, the right engine sucked in an empty container left on the tarmac.
The DGCA is fuming. They’re investigating "Bird Flight Services," the ground handling crew. Apparently, the driver of the tug didn't even notice the container fell off. He actually fled the airport and switched off his phone once he realized what happened. Talk about a bad day at the office.
The India Plane Crash Today and the Shadow of AI-171
If you feel like you’re hearing about plane incidents every other day, you aren't crazy. The industry is still reeling from the Air India Flight 171 disaster in Ahmedabad last year. 260 people died when that Boeing 787 hit a medical college hostel.
The legal drama from that crash is peaking right now.
The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) just slapped a legal notice on the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). Why? Because the AAIB summoned a relative of the deceased captain, Sumeet Sabharwal. The pilots' body thinks the government is trying to pin everything on "pilot error" to shield Boeing or the airline.
It’s a classic blame game.
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The preliminary report for AI-171 mentioned the fuel control switches were moved to "CUTOFF" in mid-air. The big question is: did the pilots do it by mistake, or was there a catastrophic system failure? The FIP says summoning a nephew who wasn't even on the flight is just harassment.
Why Safety Regulators Are Sweating
The DGCA isn't just looking at crashes. Today, they also slapped a ₹20.4 crore penalty on IndiGo.
That’s a lot of zeros.
The fine is for the massive operational meltdown we saw in December. The regulator basically said IndiGo was trying to squeeze too much out of its crew and planes, leading to over 1,800 canceled flights. It's a "profit over safety" argument that we keep seeing pop up in Indian aviation circles lately.
The Problem With Regional Flying
The Rourkela incident shines a light on the UDAN scheme. It’s great for connectivity, but these small regional airports often lack the heavy-duty emergency infrastructure of a Mumbai or Bengaluru.
When that IndiaOne plane went down in Jalda, it wasn't on a runway. It was in a field. If that happened in a more remote part of the country, the response time might have been even slower.
We also have a massive shortage of Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facilities. Most of our big planes have to fly to the Middle East or SE Asia just for a check-up. When you combine a shortage of mechanics with a 50% manpower deficit at the DGCA, you get the "safety deficit" experts are screaming about.
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Surprising Facts About Modern Flight Safety in India
- Fog is the Real Enemy: Most ground accidents, like the container ingestion in Delhi, happen during "low visibility procedures."
- The "Follow Me" Gap: Pilots are complaining that airports aren't using "Follow Me" vehicles to guide planes during heavy fog, leaving them to navigate blind.
- The Black Box Mystery: In the Ahmedabad crash, the heat was so intense it almost melted the flight data recorders. It took months just to get a clean read.
- Airlift Risks: As we saw today with Susanta Kumar Biswal, the transition from a hospital bed to an air ambulance is incredibly taxing on a trauma patient.
What You Should Do Before Your Next Flight
Look, flying is still statistically the safest way to travel. But the recent string of "India plane crash today" headlines is enough to make anyone nervous.
If you're flying soon, especially on a regional carrier, keep a few things in mind. Check the weather. If there's heavy fog at your destination or departure, expect delays and don't be "that person" yelling at the gate agent. Those delays are literally there to keep you from hitting a cargo container.
Also, keep an eye on the airline's recent track record. The DGCA’s public notices are actually quite useful for seeing which airlines are getting fined for safety or maintenance lapses.
Next Steps for Aviation Enthusiasts and Travelers:
- Monitor the AAIB website for the final report on the IndiaOne Rourkela crash to see if the "technical glitch" was a maintenance failure.
- Check the "Live Flight Tracker" apps during fog season to see if your airport is implementing ground hold programs.
- Advocate for better ground handling standards by reporting any safety oddities you see from your window seat (like unsecured equipment on the tarmac).
The situation in Rourkela is a tragedy, and the mess in Delhi is a comedy of errors. Both, however, point to a system that is struggling to keep up with its own growth.
Stay informed. Stay safe.