Aerospace Diary

Neelam Mathews August 2, 2011 An IAF Mig-21 aircraft crashed in the precincts of Nal airbase in Rajasthan at around midday, today. The aircraft was returning from a routine training mission and crashed during the landing phase, killing the pilot. This is the second crash of a fighter aircraft this year. In February, a MiG-21 crashed on a routine sortie in Madhya Pradesh's Sheopur district though the pilot had ejected safely. In 2010, 10 IAF aircraft crashes took place including four MiG-27s and two MiG-21s. In parliament defense minister A K Antony had said 24 fighter aircraft accidents took place in the last three years, in which four service personnel and five civilians lost their lives. Of these accidents, 23 percent were due to human error, he said.  Aerospace Diary is working on a report relating to aircraft crashes in India. Meanwhile a defense official says many countries like China do not officially report accidents.

OPERATIONS NEW DELHI – Thirty-nine Indian military aircraft, including the MiG series, Sukhoi and various helicopters, have been lost in air crashes during the last three years, Indian Defense Minister A.K. Antony said in parliament. Of the aircraft lost, 21 were MiGs, including 12 MiG-21s. Thirteen service personnel were killed. The most recent crash was in July. (See chart p. 6.) India, which currently uses mostly Soviet-built aircraft, has an accident rate of six-seven mishaps per 100,000 hr. flown (compared to four-five for all NATO air forces, according to an analyst. Pilot error, technical defects and bird strikes were the major causes of the MiG-21 accidents. Pilots previously learned on subsonic trainers before flying MiG-21s. Since the Soviet Union’s breakup, India has been struggling to get spare parts, which are often sourced from Eastern European suppliers. Each air force aircraft accident is investigated by a court of inquiry, and remedial measures are undertake...