An Indian Air Force (IAF) MiG-21 fighter aircraft crashed in India’s Punjab late on Thursday night, killing the pilot.
The aircraft was on a routine training sortie when the accident happened in Langeana village of Moga.
“There was an aircraft accident last night involving a Bison aircraft of IAF in the western sector. The pilot, Sqn Ldr Abhinav Choudhary, sustained fatal injuries. IAF condoles the tragic loss and stands firmly with the bereaved family,” the IAF said in a Twitter statement.
There was an aircraft accident last night involving a Bison aircraft of IAF in the western sector. The pilot, Sqn Ldr Abhinav Choudhary, sustained fatal injuries. IAF condoles the tragic loss and stands firmly with the bereaved family.
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) May 21, 2021
It said a Court of Inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident.
The accident comes two months after a MiG-21 Bison aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed while taking off for a combat training mission at an airbase in central India in March. Group Captain A Gupta had lost his life in the fatal accident.