Bhubaneswar, Jun 8 (IANS): A pilot trainer and a woman trainee pilot were killed when a trainer aircraft crashed in Odisha's Dhenkanal district on Monday.

The trainer aircraft of the Government Aviation Training Institute (GATI) crashed at Birasala airstrip shortly after taking off, informed B.K. Nayak Additional District Magistrate (ADM), Dhenkanal.

The doctors at Kamakhyanagar hospital declared them dead. The deceased were identified as Anis Fatima (trainee) and Sanjeev Kumar Jha (Instructor).

Anupama James, Dhenkanal Superintendent of Police (SP) said prima facie, it is suspected that the aircraft nose-dived and crashed on to the runway while trying to land.

"It seems the aircraft developed some technical snag after it took off. The trainer and the trainee pilots were killed in the accident," the SP said.

Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will inquire into the air crash at Birasala airstrip, informed GATI authorities.

The Birasala facility was opened last year. The total strength of the trainees at the facility was 90, including 36 aspiring pilots, said sources.