In an unprecedented occurrence involving an Indian Air Force Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), a Tejas plane met with disaster in the vicinity of Laxmichand Sawal Colony of Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, during an operational training sortie on Tuesday, as relayed by the IAF. Prior to the mishap, the pilot safely executed an ejection, according to officials. Thankfully, no fatalities have been documented in connection with the incident.
A court of inquiry has been initiated to unravel the root cause behind the unfortunate event. “During an operational training sortie today, a Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas of the Indian Air Force crashed in the vicinity of Jaisalmer. The pilot ejected safely,” stated an IAF spokesperson. This marks the first incident of its kind since the commencement of flights for Tejas, an indigenous single-engine aircraft, back in 2001.
Upon receiving reports of the incident, fire tenders and military personnel swiftly converged on the scene and managed to extinguish the ensuing blaze. The crash site lies approximately 100 km from the Pokhran desert, where a large-scale war simulation known as ‘Bharat Shakti’ was being observed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other high-ranking military officials. The aftermath of the crash was marked by thick black smoke billowing from a single-storey brick structure where the aircraft made impact.
Manufactured by the state-run aerospace entity Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), the Tejas aircraft stands as a formidable platform for both air combat and offensive air support missions. Additionally, it undertakes secondary roles in reconnaissance and anti-ship operations.
Tejas aircraft are poised to become the backbone of the IAF, which has already inducted nearly 40 initial variants. In February 2021, the defense ministry finalized a Rs 48,000 crore deal with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd for the procurement of 83 Tejas MK-1A jets for the IAF. Furthermore, in November of the previous year, the ministry greenlit the procurement of an additional 97 Tejas jets for the IAF.
The aircraft involved in the incident belonged to the IAF’s No 18 squadron, also known as the ‘Flying Bullets,’ and had showcased its operational prowess alongside two other Tejas aircraft during the war simulation, according to military sources. The ill-fated aircraft was reportedly returning to the Jaisalmer air base after participating in a formation flight. It has been reported that the crashed Tejas MK I aircraft was a final operational clearance (FOC) variant equipped with all necessary safety features. Tejas obtained initial operational clearance in 2011 and was formally inducted into the IAF in 2016.
Footage captured the aircraft gliding at low altitude before erupting into flames upon impact with the ground, following the safe ejection of the pilot. Additional Superintendent of Police Mahendra Singh of Jaisalmer confirmed that there were no human casualties in the crash near Kalla and Jawahar residential colonies. While a portion of a hostel building incurred damage, it was unoccupied at the time, as per another police official.
Witnesses recounted the pilot’s timely ejection moments before the crash. “Immediately upon impact, a deafening noise reverberated,” one witness recounted to reporters. “The pilot was swiftly transported to a hospital, where he underwent a thorough medical examination, and his condition is reported to be stable,” confirmed an official.