Jaipur: A MiG-21 combat aircraft of the IAF
today crashed near Uttarlai airport in Rajasthan`s Barmer
district but the pilot ejected safely.
The plane was on a routine sortie and the incident
occurred at around 11.30 AM when the pilot was preparing for
landing, he said.
The pilot, Flying Officer Amit, ejected safely, Defence
PRO S D Goswami said.
A court of inquiry has been ordered, he said.
This is the sixth air crash involving IAF`s fighter
aircraft this year and the fifth belonging to the MiG-21
series warplane.
In view of the increasing number of accidents involving
the MiG-21 aircraft type, the IAF has decided to phase them
out by 2017.
The force is also planning to allow only experienced
fighter pilots to fly the plane from next year.
Of the total 976 MiG-21s inducted in the service since
1960s, over half of them have been lost in air crashes.
PTI
