[kellyhound]

In a concerning incident, an Indian Air Force (IAF) jet, specifically a Sukhoi Su-30MKI, crashed in an open farm field near Pimpalgaon Baswant town in Nashik, Maharashtra.

The incident unfolded around 11 am on a Wednesday when the Sukhoi Su-30MKI crashed in Wavi-Tushi village. Fortunately, both pilots successfully ejected from the aircraft in a timely manner and are reported to be safe, according to local police. Immediate medical care was provided to the pilots following their ejection.

Reports suggest that the crashed fighter jet was a production aircraft manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and was undergoing testing before delivery.

The cause of the crash is currently under speculation, with a technical failure in the aircraft being a potential reason. A dedicated team has been dispatched to the crash site to conduct a thorough investigation. It is worth noting that the pilots were engaged in a training activity at the time of the crash, as reported by CNN-News18.

A senior official involved in aircraft production indicated that the Sukhoi Su-30MKI involved in the crash was the first among the batch produced at the Aircraft Manufacturing Division at HAL Nashik for the year. Typically, around 12 aircraft are manufactured for a new squadron, with each aircraft valued at over Rs 300 crore and having a manufacturing cycle of approximately 3 years.

Before induction into service, such aircraft are flown either by HAL pilots or IAF pilots under deputation with HAL.

Regarding reports of villagers witnessing three parachutes in the sky after the crash, the official suggested that the illusion of a third parachute may have been due to the canopy opening before both pilots ejected safely.

The aircraft, developed by Russia's Sukhoi and produced under license by HAL, had taken off from the HAL airstrip near Nashik, as per police reports. IAF personnel from the Ojhar Air Force station swiftly arrived at the crash site.

Remarkably, there were no injuries reported among those on the ground, as there were no individuals in the field at the time of the crash. Locals working in the vicinity rushed to the scene upon hearing the loud sound of the crash and provided assistance in getting the pilots the medical attention they needed.

Unfortunately, this incident is not an isolated one for the IAF this month. Earlier in June, two separate crashes involving Jaguar jets occurred in Gujarat. One incident on June 8 resulted in a minor accident during landing, while another on June 5 tragically claimed the life of an Air Force Commodore. Additionally, in May, an IAF Cheetah helicopter crash-landed in Jammu and Kashmir during a routine sortie.

[spudigitti]

2 jets went screaming past here yesterday at about 300 feet !!

[durt]

Originally Posted by spudigitti ↗

2 jets went screaming past here yesterday at about 300 feet !!

They were looking for a place to crash



...for the night