Vikram MiG-21 Losses
MIG aircraft of Indian Air Force have high accident rates. During the five year period from 1996 through 2000 a total of 81 MIG series aircraft had been lost in accidents. Pilot error continues to be one of the major factors in fatal aircraft accidents. Data varies with various studies.
In one study pilot error in fatal aircraft accidents dominated the list with 68%. Technical defect accounted for 22.9% of fatal aircraft accidents. Percentage of unresolved fatal accidents was 4.16%. MiG-21 contributed to 50% of all fatal air crashes from April 1996 to May 2001. This is because MiG-21 is the backbone of Indian Air Force fighter flying. Every fighter pilot goes through the MiG-21 flying before they are converted to other types of fighter aircraft.
There had been two mid air collisions in a five-year span involving MiG-21 aircraft from the training Squadrons. This rate is high hence a special attention should be given to collision avoidance during training flights in the traffic pattern where midair collisions occur involving the instructional flights. Avoidance of mid-air collision in VFR primarily depends on the pilots to see and avoid the aircraft. To prevent collisions in the traffic pattern, all the pilots should report their positions and intentions as they approach the airport and turn on to each leg.
Human error (aircrew), bird hit and technical defects have been identified as main causes of these accidents by various Courts of Enquiry. Remedial measures based on the recommendations are instituted after each Court of Enquiry. In addition, measures to enhance the quality of training to improve skill levels, ability to exercise sound judgement and improve situational awareness are constantly being reviewed and implemented. Renewed thrust on acquiring simulators and training aircraft is a step towards improving the quality of the man behind machine.
Indian Air Force lost 102 MiG-21 aircraft over ten years (i.e. from April 01, 1992 to March 31, 2002). In these accidents 39 pilots were killed and an amount of Rs. 311.99 crores have been lost. Between 1997 - 2000 out of 84 accidents 69 percent involve the MIG series and of which 38 were MIG 21s alone. Human Error (HE), Technical Defect (TD) and Bird Hit (BH) have been identified as the main causes of accidents by various Courts of Inquiry.
Remedial measures were instituted on the basis of the recommendations of each Court of Inquiry (COI). Measures were being taken to reduce accidents under all categories, by formulation of Accidents Prevention Programme, Environmental Cleanliness, Bird Hazard control, conduct of studies on HE and TD and interaction with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited/Original Equipment Manufacturers.
Under numbers reported to have been released by India's Defence Ministry in March 2006, 54 MiG-21 aircraft were reported to have crashed in the seven years prior.
Looking at the MiG-21’s chief rivals, between 1960 and 1987, the German air force flew nearly a thousand F-104s and lost 292. In a similar time frame, the Canadian air force lost over 100 of their 200 Starfighters. The highly experienced pilots of the British air force didn’t fare any better, crashing over a hundred of their 300 Lightnings over a period of 25 years.
In a report prepared for the US Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine, C.J. Knapp and R. Johnson revealed that during a 19-year period from 1975-93 there were 190 Class A – or major – mishaps involving 204 F-16s and 217 aircrew. Compared to this, India’s MiG-21 had a much better record.
At leat 20 air forces around the world continued to stick with the MiG-21. MiGs are not tumbling out of the air in Ukraine, Czech Republic, Algeria, Finland or Bulgaria. China has cloned and flies over 700 of these fighters and has supplied 150 to Pakistan. Among these countries, India alone trains its pilots to Western standards. This involves intense peacetime training, which means potentially more accidents. A former air force chief has gone on record that he would rather lose pilots during training than during war.
Tropical and crowded, India is an unforgiving environment for any aircraft. The hot air means aircraft engines produce less thrust and the wing produce less lift compared to similar aircraft flying in European skies. Sun baked runways are also known to impact landing safety. These are factors IAF pilots have to live with. Bird hits are another huge factor in aircraft accidents over India. Most IAF bases are located near populated areas, where birds are a constant menace. It’s going to get worse before it gets better.
The dissolution of the Soviet Union and the chaos that followed played havoc with Russia’s command economy. The closure of Russia’s armaments factories stopped the free flow of spares from the country. Desperate to keep its main interceptor force flying, the IAF managed to get spares from East European countries, which were cannibalising their MiG-21s for cash.
Russian defense experts, including MiG officials, blamed these grey market purchases for some of the IAF’s crashes. However, the argument had no legs because firstly, the IAF is one of the world’s most professional fighting forces; it will not put its pilots’ life at risk by such reckless purchases. Two, it was buying genuine spares from the standardised air forces of the former Warsaw Pact. The Russians backtracked when confronted with IAF data. However, it remained true that spare parts made by HAL are not as good as the Russian ones.
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