IAF MiG-21 Type-69 Trainer aircraft crashes, Pilots safe

Gwalior: An Indian Air Force MiG-21 Type-69 Trainer aircraft crashed near Gwalior on Wednesday approx at 10 am in Madhya Pradesh. The trainer aircraft was on a routine mission and was airborne from Air Force Station Gwalior. Aircraft crashed at an approximate distance of 6 Nautical Miles while on approach for landing. The MiG-21 trainer aircraft belonged to the Indian Air Force (IAF) Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE) school.

Good news is both the Pilots managed to eject safely and later they were picked up by a rescue chopper.

"The two pilots ejected safely in Mig-21 crash, according to the information passed to us from the village head from the spot, some 60 km from the district headquarters," Rudolf Alvares, Bhind Superintendent of Police, told news agency PTI.

The Mikoyan-Gurevich, or in abbreviation, a MiG-21 is a supersonic jet fighter and interceptor aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. India is the largest operator of MiG-21s. In 1961, the Indian Air Force (IAF) opted to purchase the MiG-21 over several other Western competitors. As part of the deal, the Soviet Union offered India full transfer of technology and rights for local assembly.

"The two pilots ejected safely in Mig-21 crash, according to the information passed to us from the village head from the spot, some 60 km from the district headquarters,"- Rudolf Alvares, SP, Bhind

Since 1963, India has introduced more than 1,200 MiG fighters into its air force. As of 2019, 113 MiG-21s are known to be in operation in the IAF. Just to remind you of February 2019 airstrikes, a Mig-21 is the same fighter jet type that Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthman shot down F-16 with early this year.

In 2019 only, this is the 12th Mig-21 crash. Court of Inquiry has been ordered to investigate the cause of the accident.