India's MiG 27 crashes in West Bengal, pilot safe
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
New Delhi, Sept 24, IRNA -- A MiG-27 aircraft of India crashed at Duria village in West Midnapore district in West Bengal on Friday but the pilot bailed out safely.
The aircraft was on a routine sortie when it crashed at 8:30 AM in the village, pti reported quoting District Magistrate N S Nigam.
The aircraft had taken off from the Kalaikunda airforce base.
Another helicopter from Kalaikunda has brought back the pilot to the airbase.
A commission of enquiry has been instituted.
This is the Third Mig-27 crash.
In February this year, the IAF's entire fleet of over 100 Mig 27s were grounded for technical inspection, after a pilot was killed in a crash near Siliguri in West Bengal.
India lost two MiG-27 jets last year, and a total of about 12 since 2001, due to crashes attributed largely to defects in the aircraft's engines.
Soviet-designed MiG-27 fighter jets, known as the Bahadhur (Brave) in the IAF, have been produced in India under license since 1986. The IAF operates 5 squadrons of the ground attack fighter.
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Islamic Republic News Agency/IRNA NewsCode: 287349
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