95 replies to this topic

[mr_homy]

In order to follow the track record of the enemy air crashes accurately, we need to verify and cross check all info before posting any new crashes. All iaf, in & ia air crashes should be reported in, make sure someone else hasn't reported it already. I want to keep an accurate record of the enemy air crashes and compare it ours as well as the rest of the world's air forces. Report by aircraft/rotorcraft type eg. MiG-29, Ka-28, Su-30 etc. Also make sure you cross check by date and location of the craft, as well as if there were any enemy fatalities.

Here goes, for the years 2009:




Report updated on December 4th 2009.

- 12 iaf aircrafts
- 2 indian navy aircrafts
- 1 indian army aircraft

I don't blame the aircrafts. It's their mechanics. So many other countries possess the same types of Russian aircrafts, such as China and Bangladesh (Mig 29's), yet I don't see such levels of crashes among them.

It is apparent that if I was a fighter pilot, I would never want it to be in the Indian Air Force!

[Dizasta]

In reference to the Chetak helicopter crash of the indian navy on 02nd June 2010.

Chetak indian Navy helicopter crashes

03 June 2010

Hyderabad: A co-pilot died and three others including the pilot were injured when a Chetak helicopter belonging to the Indian Navy crashed on Wednesday. It fell into the Sarada river between Anakapalli and Thummapala in Visakhapatnam, the headquarters of Eastern Naval Command. Police said the copter hit a high-tension wire and crashed. Co-pilot K Krishna Kumar died while being taken to a hospital. The others on board were the pilot Captain Deepak Mishra, Lieutenant Commanders Tushar and Rushikesh. They were injured in the accident. Visakhapatnam DIG Sowmya Mishra visited the scene, as senior navy officials started a probe into the crash. The NS 468B helicopter belonged to INS Daga. Officials said two of those onboard jumped into the waters and swam to safety. Both the trainers and the trainees (both Lt Commanders) were well taught to fly the copter even as low as 30 meters above the ground. But a technical snag made the chopper lose stability and go close to the high tension wires, said Anakapalli police inspector Ramana Rao, who is probing the accident.

Mumbai Mirror


Thread Updated on the 30th of June 2010.

(Please see Post#30 for 2010 Crashes)

[Dizasta]

In reference to the MiG-27 crash of the indian air force on the 24th of July 2010

Indian air force MiG-27 fighter crash kills one, injures 25

JALPAIGURI, India, July 24 (Xinhua) - A MiG-27 fighter jet of the Indian Air Force crashed in a field on Saturday, killing one person on the ground and injuring 25 others, police said. B. Rai, a farmer who was cultivating his field at that time, was killed when the MiG fighter crashed. The incident took place at Bhotputti village in Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal state in east India. "Twenty-five people were injured when the aircraft crashed, of whom five are in a serious condition at present and have been sent to hospitals," superintendent of police Anand Kumar said in a statement. The Mig-27 took off from the Hashimara air base on a routine sortie and crashed minutes later around 25 km away from the base. Anand Kumar said that the pilot ejected from the aircraft but was injured in the process. "The pilot - Saket Verma - has been hospitalized," Anand Kumar added. An earlier report by the Indo-Asian News Service said two pilots were killed in the crash.

Xinhua News

The Indian


Thread updated on the 26 of July 2010

(Please refer to Post# 30 for crashes of 2010)

[Dizasta]

In reference to the MiG-21 crash of the indian air force in Assam on 7th August 2010

MiG-21 fighter jet crashes in eastern India

7th August 2010

A MiG-21 fighter jet of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed in the eastern Indian state of Assam, local media reported. The pilot lost control and the aircraft fell on a paddy field some 25 km from the city of Tezpur on Saturday. The fate of the pilot is unknown. India's fighter fleet consists mainly of obsolete Soviet MiG-21 models. The Defense Ministry plans to phase them out by 2017. Accidents involving Soviet-designed MiG-21 fighter jets, known as the Bahadhur (Brave) in the IAF, which were produced in India under license and have been in operation for several decades, are frequent in the country.

Nation



Thread updated on 9th August 2010

(Please refer to post# 30 for all indian military aircraft crashes of 2010)

Edited by Dizasta, 08 August 2010 - 07:13 PM.

[Miroslav]

Colonel among 3 killed in army chopper crash
PTI, Aug 18, 2010, 06.31pm IST

Read more: Colonel among 3 killed in army chopper crash - India - The Times of India http://timesofindia....s#ixzz0wy86taLR

KOHIMA: A colonel and two majors were killed when an army helicopter on a routine sortie crashed while flying over the mountainous terrain of Dzukou valley in the Nagaland-Manipur border area today, officials said.

The deceased pilots were identified as Maj Nikhil Prakash and Maj Rakesh Sharma while the passenger of the Cheetah helicopter was Col P K Pal, Defence PRO R K Palta said.

The bodies were found by a rescue team comprising village youths, police and army men from near the wreckage of the helicopter lying in the mist-covered thick jungle of the valley near Viswema village, about 25 km south of here.

The helicopter had left the army's 3 Corps headquarters Rangapahar near Dimapur at 8.25 am to Limakong near Imphal on a routine sortie. But it lost ground contact while flying over the mountainous terrain of Dzukou valley, Palta said.

The chopper crashed around 8.45 am possibly due to poor visibility caused by bad weather, officials said.

Palta said an inquiry into the incident was ordered. The villagers of Viswema had heard the sound of crash in the morning. Later in the afternoon they along with police and army personnel spotted the site and retrieved three bodies after scaling the mountainous terrains.

Policemen, accompanied by the villagers recovered the bodies from the forest, Kohima SP Rothilhu Tetseo said.

Inclement weather prevailed in the area for the past couple of days following incessant rains.

Read more: Colonel among 3 killed in army chopper crash - India - The Times of India http://timesofindia....s#ixzz0wy8CFZdV

Miro

[Dizasta]

In reference to the Chetak helicopter crash of the indian air force in Godda District on 11th September 2010

Three killed as IAF chopper crashes in Jharkhand

Ranchi, Sep 11 (IANS) An Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter crashed in Jharkhand’s Godda district Saturday evening killing three people onboard, a police official said. The helicopter crashed at Prakhani village in Sunderpahari area, about 550 km from here. Deputy Inspector General of Police (Tumka Range) Vinay Kumar Pandey told IANS that the helicopter crashed due to bad weather and the identities of those killed were not yet confirmed. “The Chetak helicopter was coming to Singharsi air base (in Pakur district) for maintenance work and is believed to have crashed due to bad weather,” Pandey said.

New Portal

[Dizasta]

In reference to the MiG-27 crash of the indian air force in West Bengal on 23th September 2010

MiG of indian Air Force, Crashes


A MiG-27 Flogger ground attack aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) has crashed in the country's east, the third crash of a plane of this type in India this year, a spokesman for the Indian Army Eastern Command said. The crash took place at 08:25 am local time (02:25 GMT) some 40 kilometers (25 miles) east of the Kalaikunda air base in West Bengal state. "The pilot managed to eject and is unharmed. The crash did not cause casualties or destruction on the ground," Mahesh Upasani said, adding that investigation into the crash was under way. An MiG-27 aircraft crashed in West Bengal in February near the Hashimara military base, killing the pilot and causing all MiG-27 flights to be suspended for a short period of time. Another MiG-27 plane crashed into a village in the region in July during a routine training flight, killing a local resident and injuring 10 others. The MiG-27 aircraft was originally built in the former Soviet Union in the mid-1970s before it was licensed to be produced in India. India has about 150 MiG-27 planes, known as the Bahadhur (Brave) in the IAF. According to the military, a current upgrade program will keep the MiG-27 operational for another 10 years.

Ria Novosti

Thread updated on September 24th 2010

(Please refer to post# 30 for all indian military aircraft crashes of 2010)

[Simpleton]

IAF copter crash in Arunachal leaves 12 servicemen dead
TNN, Nov 20, 2010, 02.26am IST

NEW DELHI: Twelve military personnel, including three officers, were killed when their Mi-17 helicopter crashed near Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh on Friday just after noon.

After an major dip in the crash rate around 2003-2006, military aircraft and helicopters have once again begun to go down with alarming regularity, as was reported by TOI earlier this month.

In just the last three years, for instance, the armed forces have recorded over 60 crashes, which have killed 45 military personnel as well as five civilians.

Friday's crash occurred just a minute after the medium-lift Mi-17 had got airborne from Tawang helipad, located at an altitude of around 11,000 feet, at 12.05 pm.

''The helicopter was on way to Guwahati. Since the weather was fair, it looks like there was some technical defect. A court of inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the exact reason,'' said a senior IAF officer.

The Russian-origin Mi-17 crashed into the hilly terrain in Bomdir area with a loud explosion, killing all the 12 military personnel instantly. Their bodies were later retrieved from the wreckage by an Army detachment located at Tawang.

The victims included the two pilots, Flight Lieutenant Akash Yadav and Flight Lieutenant N Rai, and an Army officer, Lt-Colonel M S Nene, who was proceeding on emergency leave due to an illness in his family. Apart from the ageing MiGs and other aircraft, the armed forces have lost well over 70 helicopters in crashes over the last decade. The helicopter fleets of the armed forces, especially the Cheetah and Chetak light-utility helicopters, are clearly ageing.

The two main reasons for crashes in IAF are attributed to ''human errors'' and ''technical defects''. In other words, ''inadequate'' training to pilots, ageing machines and shoddy maintenance practices form a deadly mix.

[Chief of army staff]

Thread updated with two new crashes in the past two months i.e September and October 2009! (Please refer to Post#1 at the top of the web-page)

Tally is at:

- indian air force: 10 fighter aircraft crashed, with the loss of 12 pilots/co-pilots.
- indian navy: 1 fighter aircraft and 1 helicopter, with the loss of 1 pilots/co-pilots.
- hal & nal: 1 jet trainer and 1 transport aircraft, with the loss of 3 pilots/co-pilots.

DANG! SERIOUSLY ITS PILOT'S FAULT OR MAINTAINANCE'S?

[Dizasta]

In reference to the Cheetah helicopter crash of the indian air force in Siachen, Ladakh on 8th November 2010

IAF chopper crashes in Siachen area, pilots injured

NEW DELHI: In yet another helicopter accident in the armed forces, an IAF Cheetah crash-landed in the Siachen glacier-Saltoro Ridge region on Monday, injuring both the pilots. The Cheetah, which had taken off from the Siachen base camp, was on "a routine air maintenance sortie'' to forward Army posts in the glacial heights when the accident took place at 8.10 am. "The two pilots were evacuated to Leh for medical treatment. A court of inquiry has been ordered into the mishap,'' said an official. Just since April 2007, there have been 40 crashes of fighters and helicopters in the armed forces, killing 19 persons and injuring 16. The forces have lost well over 70 helicopters in crashes over the last decade. The helicopter fleets of the armed forces are clearly ageing. The Cheetah light-utility helicopters, based on the design of French "Alouettes'' and "Lama SA-315'' choppers, for instance, were inducted in the 1970s. Around 250 of them were subsequently manufactured under licence by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd till the 1980s. The Cheetahs continue to be used to service forward locations, including outposts in Ladakh and Kashmir Himalayas, and for "patrol and reconnaissance missions'' along the Line of Control. The armed forces, on their part, are now looking to import 197 "light utility'' helicopters to replace Cheetahs and Chetaks for high-altitude and other operations.

Times Of india

[Dizasta]

In reference to the MiG-27 crash in Jodhpur on 10th November 2010

indian Air Force MiG-27 crashes near Jodhpur

Jodhpur: A MiG-27 fighter plane of the IAF on Wednesday crashed near Jodhpur in Rajasthan shortly after take off for a routine sortie, but the pilot bailed out safely. The crash occurred at 1320 hrs, 15 minutes after the aircraft took off from Jodhpur air base. The pilot, Flight Lieutenant A Patni, who is safe, had reported trouble in the aircraft, a defence official said, adding there is no damage on the ground. The IAF has ordered a court of inquiry into the mishap. "The crash took place about 60 km away from Jodhpur," defence spokesperson Lt Col NN Joshi said. Police said there was no report of any loss of life or damage in the incident. "The is no report of any loss of life on the ground in the crash which took place in Mandawas village," BL Meena, Superintendent of Police of Pali district, which is near the crash site, said. "The pilot has been located and is safe," Meena said. The MiG-27 crash comes just a couple of days after a Cheetah helicopter of the IAF crash landed near the Siachen Glacier base camp.

iBN Live

[Dizasta]

In reference to the Mi-17 helicopter crash of the indian air force on the 19th of November 2010

Mi-17 crashes in Tawang, all on board feared dead

All 12 armed forces personnel onboard an IAF MI-17 helicopter were today killed when it crashed after an explosion minutes after take-off from Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh. All 12 defence personnel, including a lieutenant colonel, onboard an MI-17 Indian Air Force helicopter were killed on Friday after it crashed in Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh, close to the border with China. The helicopter, en route to Guwahati from Tawang, went down at 12:05 pm near Bomdir in Tawang, just minutes after it took off. Three crew members, eight IAF men and the lieutenant colonel were killed in the tragic crash. This is the ninth air crash recorded by the IAF this year. The IAF immediately ordered a court of inquiry into the causes for the accident. Though initial reports had suggested that there was an explosion on the helicopter before it crashed, defence sources denied it. Defence Minister A K Antony expressed profound grief at the loss of lives of defence personnel in the crash. Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu, too, condoled the deaths. “The reason for the crash will be ascertained only after the enquiry is completed,” Defence PRO based in Tezpur (Assam) Col Rajesh Kalia said. All the bodies have been recovered, but the IAF withheld their identity. IAF sources said the weather was clear and so it was unlikely that the chopper could have encountered any obstruction in visibility. Of the nine IAF air crashes recorded this year, this is the third helicopter accident. The first IAF helicopter crash occurred on September 11 when the IAF lost a Cheetah in Jharkhand. The second was reported earlier this month in which another Cheetah helicopter crash-landed in the Siachen Glacier on November 8. The IAF had also lost four MiG-27 fighter jets and two MiG-21 variants this year.

The india Daily

Thread Updated on 3rd of December 2010
(Please refer to post#30 to view all 2010 crashes of the indian air force, navy & army)

[Dizasta]

In reference to the Mi-26 Halo helicopter crash at Satwari Station, on December 14th 2010

IAF Mi-26 Halo Crashes at Satwari Station, indian Air Force

An Indian Air Force (IAF) Mi-26 helicopter crashed today, injuring at least eight people. The incident occurred at the high security Satwari station just minutes after takeoff. All of those injured, including three crew members, were transported to an Army hospital for treatment. Some reports indicate the helicopter never made it above 50 feet AGL. Initial speculation is pointing to a technical problem but, as you know, that is usually the initial scapegoat. The crash happened around 9:50 a.m. local time and the airport remained closed for several hours for cleanup operations.

VTOL Blog

In reference to the Dhruv helicopter crash near Leh Airport, on December 22th 2010

Helicopter (Dhruv) of indian Air Force Crashes in Leh, Kashmir

Srinagar, Dec 22: In a second incident of its kind within a week, an Advance Light Helicopter (ALH) crashed near Leh airfield. However, there was no loss of life reported. "The ALH was on a routine sortie,” a senior army official said. “However soon after it took off from Leh airport, it developed some snag and it crashed.” But he said both the pilot and co-pilot were safe. “They have received minor bruises,” officer said. “The court of inquiry has been called into the incident to ascertain the causes of cash”. The army official said the incident happened at around 3 pm. Pertinently, on Dec 14, an Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter crashed soon after taking off from Jammu airport, injuring seven IAF personnel and two civil engineers.

Kashmir News


Thread Updated on 8th February 2011
(Please refer to post#30 to view all 2010 crashes of the indian air force, navy & army)

Edited by Dizasta, 08 February 2011 - 06:24 AM.

[Dizasta]

Total fatalities of each service is as follows:

- indian Air Force had 15 fatalities which included 5 indian fighter/helicopter pilots and 1 civilian.
- indian Navy had 3 fatalities which included fighter/helicopter pilots
- indian Army had 3 fatalities which included 3 pilots

[Simpleton]

Ageing choppers to blame for Army Majors' death in Nashik crash?

New Delhi: Two Army Majors lost their lives in a chopper crash in Nashik on Wednesday. Both pilots Major Atul Garje and Major Bhanu Chander died in trying to save civilian lives on ground.

Their ageing Cheetah helicopter developed a major snag immediately after take-off. Finding no space to land, the two crashed into an empty residential compound.

The crash has once again raised questions about the aging cheetah choppers that have claimed five lives in the last six months. In August, three officers had died in Nagaland.

Of 1970s vintage, Cheetah still remains the work horse for Army Aviation Corps in absence of suitable replacements. Some of them continue to fly even in the forbidding altitude of Siachen.

For three years, the Defence ministry has been promising to buy 250 new generation helicopters for the army but the plan has so far remained on paper after one tender was cancelled in the final stage in 2007.

No new inductions look possible for another three years given cumbersome procurement procedures raising the question: Will India keep losing young pilots because the government cannot decide on what to buy?

[Dizasta]

For 2011 crashes, please view post #1

[Dizasta]

In reference to the indian Cheetah crash of indian army in Nasikh on February 3rd 2011

Indian Army helicopter crash kills two soldiers

Mumbai, india: An Indian Army helicopter on Wednesday morning crashed in the central region of the country, killing two soldiers, local media reported.The Cheetah helicopter crashed into a civilian area near Nashik, India: which is located in the northwest of Maharashtra, around 180 kilometers (112 miles) from Mumbai: at around 8:45 a.m. local time, causing the death of both pilots, but no ground casualties were reported, the Indian Express reported. The helicopter had just taken off from the Combat Army Aviation Training School, which is located in Nashik, as the pilots were on their way to Bangalore on a 'maintenance' flight, field officers of the 665 Army Aviation Squadron told the paper. The helicopter experienced technical difficulties and crashed shortly after. A school bus full of children was on a nearby road, but the pilots were able to maneuver their way out of civilian territory, successfully avoiding any ground casualties. No further information was available. The victims of the accident were identified as Major Bhanu Chander, who had recently gotten married six months ago, and Major Atul Garje, who is survived by his wife and three-month-old daughter.

indian News

[Dizasta]

In reference to the MiG-21 crash in Nasikh of the indian air force February 4th 2011

IAF MiG-21 crashes in jungle in MP

United News of India Sheopur, February 4, 2011


A MiG-21 Bison supersonic jet fighter of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed in a forest near Bhela and Bheemlat villages under Karahal police station limits about five minutes after taking off today from the Maharajpur Air Force Base in Gwalior. The pilot ejected prior to the crash that caused a crater besides an inferno over approximately 400 sq m. Debris of the aircraft scattered over roughly 500 sq m. "The crash took place around 1120 hrs about 150 aeronautical miles southwest of Gwalior. An IAF helicopter conveyed a rescue and relief team to the site in the afternoon. An inquiry has been ordered," an IAF spokesman told UNI over telephone. A UNI reporter who reached the site reported presence of debris approximately 24 km from here.

link

[aziqbal]

India has lost around half dozen Sukhois and thats Indias front line fighter!!

the F16 has second to none record in PAF history and PAF itself has second to none record

in wartime Indias entire fleet for aircraft will not be air worthy

[Dizasta]

Just for the record, in 2009, the indian air force had a minimum of (12) crashes of which (8) aircrafts were fighters, (2) trainers, (1) transport & (1) helos!! And as follows, in 2010, the indian air force had (13) crashes of which (7) were fighters and (6) were helicopters!!

2009 - (12) crashes & (10) pilots killed, total fatalities including passengers and civilians - (21)

2010 - (13) crashes & (5) pilots killed, total fatalities including passengers and civilians - (16)

[Miroslav]

India has lost around half dozen Sukhois and thats Indias front line fighter!!

Please back your claim.

India has lost only 2 Su-30's.

the F16 has second to none record in PAF history and PAF itself has second to none record

A PAF F-16 apparently shot down another PAF F-16.

Miro

[Dizasta]

This thread is reference only which is validated through authentic links and is thoroughly checked. Kindly avoid discussions here as that isn't the purpose of the thread. Aziqbal, Pakistan Air Force certainly did maintain an impeccable record of its F-16 Fighting Falcon fleet. Post delivery (1987) of the fleet, in 23 years, Pakistan Air Force lost only (9) aircrafts, which amounts to 0.39 aircraft attrition annually. This of course, is credited to the impressive and professional logistics personnel of Pakistan Air Force.

As far as the indian Air Force is concerned, the first of the Su-30 Flanker-h were inducted in 2000 and were built in Russia. So in 10 years, the indian Air Force has lost just 2 Flanker-h's, which is a very impressive record. However, considering that its a new aircraft as well as the fact that india returned its originally delivered basic Flankers in exchange for the Flanker-h (MKi), one can deduce the original age of this fighter fleet to be 8 years and not 10.

One must also remember that the over all record of the indian air force's attrition is pretty bad condition. As the records show for the last two years, indian air force has lost a total of (25) aircrafts of which (15) were fighter-jets!! It gives us the attrition at 7.5 aircraft annually and that is very high for any air force.

[Miroslav]

As far as the indian Air Force is concerned, the first of the Su-30 Flanker-h were inducted in 2000 and were built in Russia. So in 10 years, the indian Air Force has lost just 2 Flanker-h's, which is a very impressive record. However, considering that its a new aircraft as well as the fact that india returned its originally delivered basic Flankers in exchange for the Flanker-h (MKi), one can deduce the original age of this fighter fleet to be 8 years and not 10.

The first Russian made Su-30MKI was delivered in 2002 and not in 2000.

While the first indigenously assembled Su-30MKI entered service with the IAF in 2004.

The first Su-30 MK's were inducted (18) in IAF in 1996-97 in 2 different batches which were later sent to Russia for upgrade to MKI standards.

Out of the 2 Su-30 losses first was due to Human Error while second was attributed to accidental ingestion of a foreign material in the engine intake..

Hence both the losses have nothign to do with maintainance.

Foreign Object is something no once can control.

Miro

[Dizasta]

^^ The comment about maintenance wasn't directed at the Flankers, rather it was on the over all grim state of affairs with iaf attrition rates. That is the reason for this thread, to keep a track of all crashes by indian military services, in particular, the indian Air Force!

[Miroslav]

Ok. Lets move on.

Peace,

Miro

[Dizasta]

In reference to the indian air force jet Kiran Mk-II, near Tambaram AF Station, on 30th January 2012.

IAF training aircraft crashes, pilots safe

Chennai, Jan 31, 2012

Two trainee pilots of the Indian Air Force (IAF) had a providential escape on Tuesday as the training aircraft ‘Kiran’ they were piloting, suddenly crashed into a lake near the IAF station in suburban Tambaram.

The ‘INSP-U2462’ Kiran – Mark-II Aircraft was on a routine training sortie around 10-30 hours this morning, when the mishap occurred, Police and Defence sources told Deccan Herald.

The aircraft took a swirl and tumbled into the Iyyancheri Lake on the outskirts of Tambaram and broke into three pieces, Police in the district headquarters of Kancheepuram said over phone. But thanks to a tremendous presence of mind, the two trainee pilots, Deepak and Singh, “ejected safely”, Defence sources said.

The pilots jumped out of the crashing aircraft using their parachutes, which landed in a nearby housing colony. While Deepak suffered an injury on his back, Singh escaped unhurt, the sources added.

Even as the crashing sound of the Kiran aircraft into the lake, filled to the brim by the recent rains, brought hundreds of residents out of their homes to gather in anxiety around the lake, top Police officials including Kancheepuram SP, Manoharan, and Zonal DIG, Sailaendra Babu rushed to the spot to arrange rescue and relief operations. Fire services personnel were also summoned to the accident site to aid in the rescue work.

Both the pilots, however, managed to extricate themselves and the injured trainee pilot Deepak was rushed to the Military Hospital in St Thomas Mount, sources said, adding, there was no cause for worry.

The IAF, meanwhile, has ordered a Court of Inquiry into the crash.

http://www.deccanher...hes-pilots.html

[Dizasta]

In reference to the indian air force Mirage 2000 crash in Madhya Pradesh, on 24th February 2012

Mirage 2000 fighter plane crashes in MP, pilots eject

24^th February 2012

New Delhi: A Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) today crashed near Bhind in Madhya Pradesh soon after taking off from an air base in Gwalior but both the pilots managed to eject.

The Mirage 2000 aircraft was on a routine training sortie when it developed a snag in the engine and crashed near Bhind district, an IAF spokesperson said in Delhi.

He said the two pilots in the aircraft had managed to eject and search and rescue operations have been launched to locate them.
The IAF has ordered a court of inquiry (CoI) to ascertain the reasons behind the crash.

The Air Force operates a fleet of 51 Mirage aircraft from the Maharajpura air base in Gwalior.

These aircraft started getting inducted into the IAF in the mid-80s and have had a very good flight safety record, the spokesperson said.
The IAF has also recently signed two deals worth over USD 3.2 billion for upgrading the capabilities of the Mirage 2000 with French companies Dassault, Thales and MBDA.

This is the second crash involving an IAF aircraft this year. A Kiran MK II trainer plane had crashed in Chennai on January 30.
In this financial year, this is the eighth crash of a fighter aircraft of which most were from the MiG 21 series.

http://timesofindia....ow/12017996.cms

[Dizasta]

In reference to the indian air force Mirage 2000 crash near Jaipur, on 6th of March 2012

Mirage-2000 crashes near Jaipur, pilot safe

Jaipur/New Delhi, Mar 5, 2012

In the second such mishap in 10 days involving an Indian Air Force plane, a Mirage-2000 combat aircraft on Monday crashed in a forested area of Rajasthan’s Dausa district.


Defence spokesperson S D Goswami said, “One Mirage 2000 aircraft of IAF crashed approximately 60 kms short of Jaipur, in Dausa on Monday at about 12:30 pm. The pilots, Squadron Leader Raj and Flight Lieutenant Kanav, who were airborne from Gwalior airbase for routine flying sortie, ejected safely. There is no reported damage to civil property or life. A Court of Inquiry has been ordered to investigate into the cause of the accident.”

The villagers said they saw the two pilots landing with the help of parachute followed by the sound of blast. The district administration immediately sent relief team to the area. Superintendent of Police, Sawai Madhopur, Anshuman Singh said a police party had been dispatched to the crash spot which was located in a hilly area. This is the third crash involving an IAF aircraft this year. A Kiran MK II trainer plane had crashed in Chennai on January 30.

Within five minutes of taking off, the plane had developed a technical snag and crashed, IAF officials said. A trainer version of the jet had crashed in Madhya Pradesh on February 24, but both pilots, one of whom was an air marshal, had managed to eject in time.

http://www.deccanher...shes-pilot.html

[Simpleton]

New Delhi, March 6, 2012 | UPDATED 09:56 IST

IAF grounds fleet as another Mirage fighter jet crashes in Rajasthan

A second Mirage 2000 combat jet of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed on Monday, only 10 days after the first incident, unsettling the relatively good flight safety record of the aircraft in service for more than three decades.

Squadron Leader P. Raj and Flight Lieutenant Kanav had taken off from the Gwalior airbase on a training sortie in the afternoon but were soon forced to eject after an engine flameout while flying over Baman Bass village, 100km from Jaipur in Rajasthan.

The two survived the crash. The two belonged to the same No. 1 squadron based in Gwalior, from where Air Marshal Anil Chopra and Wing Commander Ram Kumar had taken off in a Mirage 2000 on February 24 but crashed soon after.

Air Marshal Chopra, who heads personnel department in the air headquarter, was the seniormost officer to have ejected in the IAF. Wing Commander Kumar is the commanding officer of the squadron.

The IAF is looking into the problem of engine flameout and the entire fleet was being inspected considering the fact that the two incidents have taken place within a span of 10 days.

Incidentally, both the crashed aircraft were assembled by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). Questions have been raised in the past about the quality assurance of HAL's work. The engine of the aircraft failed when it was flying at 16,000ft.

Even the other aircraft that crashed last year was assembled by HAL. Defence Minister A. K. Antony had reviewed the flight safety aspects and a directive was given to other stakeholders, such as the HAL, to strictly follow IAF's instructions on maintenance of the aircraft.

IAF spokesperson Squadron Leader Priya Joshi told Mail Today the Mirage fleet has not been grounded.

The IAF has three squadrons of Mirage 2000s, all based in Gwalior. The aircraft has an impressive flight safety record as only five crashes have been reported before the two accidents this year.

The IAF has recently awarded a contract to France for upgradation of 51 of these multi-role, single-engine fighters. After the upgradation, the aircraft will go for a complete makeover, keeping it flying for the next three decades.

Pilots swear by the French fighter and the IAF has chosen another Dassault-manufactured fighter, the Rafale, to replace its ageing MiG-21s.
Mirage 2000 has the crucial role of delivering India's N-weapons.

The IAF has been struggling with the problem of training its pilots but the recent accidents have been caused by technical failures. It underscores the fact that most of the aircraft are ageing, requiring much more rigorous maintenance schedules to keep them flightworthy.

[blueazure]

janes, mar 2012

[Chief of army staff]

Dizasta reporting too many dizastas. Poor Indianz

[seacad]

List of Indian Aircraft crashes since 1980

159 Mig-21's
40 Mig-27's
12 Mig-29's
3 Su-30's
9 Mirage-2000's
19 Harriers
39 Jaguars
24 Unidentified FIGHTER planes (most prob Mig-21's)

For a total of over 300 planes. This list DOES NOT INCLUDE the retired aircraft which crashed such as the Mig-23's, Mig-25's, Su-7's etc which would push the number well over 400.

[macau boy]

The SU-30 crashes came as a surprise. They are supposed to be their most advanced and best maintained planes in the IAF.

[seacad]

The SU-30 crashes came as a surprise. They are supposed to be their most advanced and best maintained planes in the IAF.

Maintenance is indeed an issue, however I remember reading an article a while back which attributed that over 60% of IAF attrition is due to pilot error.

[blueazure]

janes , apr 2012

[kmc]

^^ Mirages should have been replace by Rafael's

[Simpleton]

self deleted (wrong thread)

[Simpleton]

self deleted (wrong thread)

[Simpleton]

self deleted (wrong thread)

[blueazure]

RAfaeles are set to replace the ageing Fishbed fleet if im not mistaken. this was initially the LCA's job