In tragic accident involving a Mirage -2000 upgraded fighter jet of the Indian Air force(IAF) crashed killing two pilots on Friday morning at the outside of HAL airport in Bengaluru. Two senior pilots of the Indian Air Force (IAF) who were identified as Squadron Leader Sameer Abrol and Squadron Leader Siddarth Negi who were killed in the crash.
“Two IAF pilots died of fatal injuries after a Mirage-2000 trainer aircraft crashed at the HAL airport in Bengaluru,” said a defence ministry official in a statement here.
“The aircraft was on an acceptance sortie after upgrade by the HAL. Investigation on the cause of the accident is being ordered. Further details are awaited,” added the statement.
According to sources both pilots had ejected, but one of them died as he had landed on the wreckage of the aircraft. The reason of the crash is yet to be ascertained. The incident happened near Yamalur off old Airport Road in Bengaluru. An inquiry has been ordered.
The state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) makes and upgrades aircraft for training and combat operations of the IAF as the country’s sole defence behemoth. It also maintains and operates the military airport in the city. According to officials at the HAL the crash took place around 10.30 a.m.
HAL also operates the military airport with the IAF and other state-run defence and aerospace agencies like DRDO and ADA.
The aircraft was being flown by two test pilots of the Indian Air Force. Squadron Leader Negi and Squadron Leader Abrol were taking the plane for an acceptance test flight after it had been upgraded by the HAL. One of the two pilots died after managing to eject from the plane but he fell on the debris itself. The other pilot was rushed to hospital but succumbed to his injuries.
The reason for the crash is yet to be ascertained, but sources said prima facie it appeared that the plane had some technical defects. A detailed court of inquiry would find out the exact cause behind the crash. The HAL is carrying out an upgrade of the Mirage-2000 fighter aircraft fleet of the Indian Air Force under a deal signed with France. The French firm Dassault Aviation carried out upgrades on the first two of the 49 planes while the remaining is being done by HAL.
