NEW DELHI, Jan 29 (AFP) - 10:07 GMT - An Indian Air Force Jaguar fighter jet has crashed in the desert state of Rajasthan killing the pilot, the Press Trust of India reported Wednesday.
The British-made Jaguar was on a routine exercise when it lost contact with air traffic control about 10:30 pm (1700 GMT) Tuesday, the news agency said, quoting police.
The wreckage of the plane could not be located early Wednesday morning, it said.
The Indian Air Force, the world’s fourth largest, has been plagued by crashes, particularly of its ageing Russian-made MiGs.
In one of the most serious crashes, a Jaguar in November crashed into a residential block in the northern Indian town of Ambala, killing 12 people.
At least 221 MiG-21s, worth tens of millions of dollars, were lost in crashes between 1991 and 2000, killing around 100 pilots, according to official figures.
A meeting chaired Defence Minister George Fernandes in November decided to phase out the MiG fighter jets.
WOW that is incredible,where do these guys get their pilots license`s from?the side of a corn flake box it sounds like.
That is some serious losses,it would be interesting to see how they rate against other countries though.
I feel sorry for those 100 pilots.. People with familys and lives, each government should ensure that its Armed Forces Personnel should have access to the bst equipment available, and that meet budget requirements.
I guess thats why Pak, invests in Chinese Technology mabye india should as well.
CHANDIGARH: At least five people were killed and two dozen injured when an Indian Air Force fighter jet crashed on Friday into three houses in a village in Punjab.
The pilot bailed out safely from the MiG-23 fighter which was on a routine training mission when it hit the houses in Mullanpua, just missing a nearby school.
The single-seater plane crashed a short distance from where it had taken off at the Halwara Air Force Station, about 100 km northwest of Chandigarh, an air force spokesman said.
“Five bodies have been recovered from the debris so far and there are more underneath,” Deputy Administrative Commissioner Anuraag Aggarwal said. Three of the injured had severe burns while another had serious head injuries.
Rescuers planned to use cranes to lift the wreckage from the concrete houses that were reduced to rubble. Firemen fought for two hours to control a blaze caused by the crash.
The reason for the accident was not immediately known.
It was the third time since mid-2002 that an Indian combat jet has crashed into a residential area in the state. Last July, a MiG-21 ploughed into houses in Jalandhar, killing seven people on the ground. In November, a British-made Jaguar crashed into houses in Ambala, killing four.
[QUOTE] Originally posted by Furqan: *
MiG-23 fighter which was on a **routine training mission*
[/QUOTE]
They should stop these "routine training missions". They are a killer! (no pun). What a lame arse air force, killing their own people on the ground, while the pilot bails out.
Perhaps if you look at what Chuck Yeager said about the Paistan Airforce you will get the "never again open mouth syndrome" The Fokker crash was in inclement weather, whereas the Indians never needed that excuse to kiss the earth. the "shut mouth" syndrome as you call it was in place because a Fokker is after all a passenger aircraft and among the dead was the wife of the Air Chief a civilian. You wanna compare attrition and/or safety rates of the two airforces?
Why are they flying Airforce Jets in a populated area? If they are training I would bet crashes are expected.
211 crashes in 12 years depending on how many flights per day..might not be that unexpected for test pilots or pilots in training. The pilots can probobly eject.
But?? Why don't they fly em where there's some room? Maybe over the ocean or something? Not over populated areas. Thats so sad.
An Indian Air Force MiG-21 fighter jet crashed into a milk processing plant in the northern state of Haryana on Monday, injuring at least three people, air force officials said.
It was the second crash involving the Russian-designed plane since Friday when a MiG-23 air force plane hit houses in a village in neighbouring Punjab, killing five people and injuring two dozen.
“A MiG-21 crashed soon after takeoff today (Monday),” Squadron Leader Rajesh Dhingra told Reuters in New Delhi.
The pilot of the plane ejected safely, said an air force official at the air base from where the plane took off.
“One women and two children were injured,” he said.
India’s air force, the world’s fourth largest, has come under criticism for a dismal safety record. Defence officials say at least 170 Russian-made MiG combat planes, the backbone of the air force, have been lost in accidents over the past decade.
Whew...I was so concerned about the pilot's safety....oh well as Freddy said....and another gone and another gone and another one bites the dust. Any word on the Gaoo maata casualties?
Hey quit beatin' on the Indian pilots, some people were just not meant to fly. Did you know that 1/3 of Indians live without access to clean aerodynamics, whereas gravity is in plentiful supply.
These pilots are probably paratroopers at heart. When they are refused transfer into the paratrooper platoon, they take matters into their own hands and show 'em what stuff they are made of. They leave the planes in mid-air and carry out a demo of their skills by taking the direct route to the ground. :k:
