In a tragic incident, an IAF flying instructor and a cadet lost their lives as their Pilatus PC-7 Mark-II trainer aircraft crashed in Medak district, Telangana. This marks the first crash involving this Swiss-origin aircraft, typically utilized for training inexperienced military pilots.
The fatal crash occurred during a routine training sortie, following the takeoff of the propeller-driven aircraft from the Air Force Academy at Dundigal, near Hyderabad. The instructor, a Squadron Leader-ranked officer, was guiding the cadet at the time of the accident.
“Both the pilots on board sustained fatal injuries in the crash and died. No damage to any civil life or property on the ground was reported. A court of inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident,” an IAF officer said.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh said, “Anguished by this accident near Hyderabad. It is deeply saddening that two pilots have lost their lives. In this tragic hour, my thoughts are with the bereaved families.”
Though military aviation is inherently risky, the Indian armed forces have been dogged by an unusually high crash rate. Apart from civilians on the ground, around 60 military personnel have lost their lives in over 50 different aircraft and helicopter accidents in the IAF, Army and Navy in the last five years alone.