Bengaluru, Feb. 9 -- A two-seater training aircraft crashed in an open field in Vijayapura district of Karnataka on Sunday, injuring an instructor and a trainee pilot, officials aware of the details said. The Cessna 172, bearing registration VT-EUC, was en-route from Kalaburagi to Belagavi when the crew encountered a technical fault mid-air, police and aviation authorities said. The aircraft then descended into a field near Mangalooru village within Babaleshwar police station limits. Images from the scene showed the aircraft overturned, with heavy damage to its front section. Locals working in nearby fields witnessed the aircraft's descent and alerted the authorities. Police reached the site after receiving information and secured the area as emergency services moved the injured crew to hospital. An investigating officer said on anonymity, "It is a private aircraft belonging to Red Bird Aviation. It was heading from Kalaburagi to Belagavi when it developed a technical glitch in the engine and suddenly crashed." The injured were identified as Kunal Malhotra, an assistant flight instructor, and trainee pilot Goutham Shankar. "Both sustained grievous injuries in the incident and have been shifted to the nearest hospital for further treatment. Further probe is underway." htc...