Article Posted on : - Jun 19, 2009

Flames engulf the MiG-21 after it crashed near Chabua airbase in Dibrugarh on Thursday. Picture by Eastern Projections

NEW DELHI (BNS): A MiG-21 fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force Thursday crashed near Chabua in Assam, but the pilot managed to bail out to safety.

The pilot, identified as Flying Officer Hemanth Dave, managed to bail out of the cockpit in time to safety, IAF sources said here.

A ball of fire engulfed the fighter plane soon after it crashed at Koilabari village around 1.20pm, five minutes after it took off from the air force base, according to a media report.

“The possibility of a technical snag is being investigated and can be confirmed once the probe is over,” an official of the Indian Air Force said.

The IAF official later clarified that there was only one pilot who had to use his second emergency parachute as the first one did not function properly.

“Two parachutes spawned confusion; actually there was only one pilot who is now absolutely fine. All medical check-ups have been carried out following the regulations,” the official said.

A series of air crashes has hit the IAF, which is already reeling under depleting fighter squadron strength.

With Thursday’s crash, the second MiG-21 mishap within a month, the IAF has lost six aircraft this year. The MiG-21 pilot was on a training sortie when the mishap occurred.

The type-77 aircraft got airborne from Chabua airbase around 1400 hrs, but went down immediately and crashed just outside the airbase into paddy fields after it experienced a technical snag.

"No damage to any civilian property or loss of lives was reported in the incident," IAF sources said in New Delhi. "The pilot reported the technical error to the airbase and later jettisoned the aircraft," the sources added.

The IAF had lost a Kiran MK-II trainer aircraft of its Surya Kiran aerobatics team on Januray 21, a Sukhoi on April 30, a MiG-27 on May 15, a MiG-21 Bison on May 27, and an AN-32 on June 9.