A MIG-21 Bison aircraft crashed in Gwalior on Wednesday killing its pilot Group Captain A Gupta. The mishap took place around 10.50 am when the aircraft was taking off for a combat training mission.

The mandatory court of inquiry was ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident.

“A MiG-21 Bison aircraft of IAF was involved in a fatal accident this morning while taking off for a combat training mission at an airbase in central India,” the IAF said in a tweet.

“The IAF lost Group Captain A Gupta in the tragic accident. IAF expresses deep condolences and stands firmly with the family members. A Court of Inquiry has been ordered to determine the cause of the accident,” it added.

The Soviet-origin MIG-21 Bison is an upgraded version of the MIG-21 aircraft that the IAF began inducting in the 1960s. The MIG-21 Bison is capable of carrying beyond-visual-range missiles and other potent weapons.

On February 27, 2019, Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman flew a MIG-21 Bison and shot down an F-16 aircraft of the Pakistan Air Force, before his aircraft went down in a dogfight. He was captured by the Pakistan Army and released two days later.

The IAF has lost many MIG-21s and other aircraft in accidents in the last few years.

In June 2019, the Ministry of Defence informed Parliament that 27 IAF aircraft have crashed since 2016.

In 2016-17, six IAF fighter jets, two helicopters, a transport aircraft and a trainer crashed. In 2017-18, the IAF lost two fighter jets and a trainer aircraft in crashes. The number rose in 2018-19, when the IAF lost seven fighter jets, two helicopters and two trainers.

At present, the IAF has around six squadrons of Mig-21 Bisons. A squadron comprises around 18 to 20 aircraft.