Indian navy aircraft "Kiran MK-II" crashes, pilot dead
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
New Delhi, March 3, IRNA -- An aircraft of Indian naval aerobatic team crashed Wednesday during an airshow in Hyderabad, the pilot was killed and four others were injured on the ground.
The Kiran MK-II plane, which was part of the 'Sagar Pawan' aerobatic team participating in a display at the India Aviation show, crashed into a building, PTI reported quoting Hyderabad Police Commissioner A K Khan.
"The pilot is dead. So far one building is damaged. We have to see how many people were inside it... Four persons have been injured," he said.
Khan said that the injured have been sent to a hospital.
The cause of the crash is being ascertained, official sources said.
The plane, which was part of a formation of four aircraft, crashed into a three-storeyed building at Bowenpally area near Begumpet airport where the airshow was on.
Black smoke billowed from the building after the crash and firemen were seen at work. Fuel could also be seen dripping from the mangled remains of the aircraft.
Police, which reached the crash site, kept at bay a large crowd of onlookers which had gathered there and put a cordon around the area. One vehicle parked outside the building into which the plane went down was also damaged.
In a span of three days, this is the second mishap involving the aerobatic display teams of the Indian armed forces.
On February 27, an ALH Dhruv of IAF's Sarang helicopter display team crash-landed in Jaisalmer due to loss of power while rehearsing for the Vayu Shakti air show there.
A pilot of IAF's Suryakiran Aerial Display Team (SKAT), which also flies the Kiran Mk-II aircraft, had met with an accident on January 21, 2009, killing the pilot.
Another Surya Kiran aircraft crashed on March 18, 2006 near its home base in Bidar during a training sortie, killing Wing Commander Dheeraj Bhatia and Squadron Leader Shailender Singh.
In 2010, the IAF has lost two fighter aircraft -- a MiG-27 and a MiG-21. Last year, the IAF had recorded 11 air mishaps, of which five involved MiG-21 aircraft.
2160**1432
End News / IRNA / News Code 992107
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
