Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Nov 21: Air Marshal Anil Chopra (Retd) has outlined the immediate actions the Indian authorities are likely to initiate following the tragic crash of the indigenous LCA Tejas during an airshow in Dubai, which claimed the life of the test pilot.
Speaking to NDTV, Air Marshal Chopra said that the investigation will move swiftly, with teams from the Indian Air Force and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) already gearing up. “The HAL team is present in Dubai as they were part of the exercise. The IAF and the government will look into the matter very closely,” he said.
Since the accident occurred on foreign soil, a formal diplomatic process will be required to bring the aircraft wreckage back to India. He added that the local airshow organisers and Dubai authorities will play a crucial role. “In a foreign country, you cannot do anything without the support of the administration. Local police must cordon off the area and extend all support,” he said.
Chopra noted that while the technical inquiry will be handled by HAL and the IAF, diplomatic coordination from the government is essential. “These eventualities are already factored in during air displays. Every year, multiple airshows happen worldwide, and protocols are well established,” he added.
According to visuals from the crash, the pilot was unable to recover from a low-altitude negative-G manoeuvre—a signature highlight of Tejas demonstrations. Moments before impact, the aircraft levelled its wings, but the vertical descent rate was already too high, preventing recovery. The pilot did not eject.
Calling the manoeuvre rare and highly demanding, Chopra said only a handful of aircraft worldwide can perform sustained negative-G turns. “It demonstrates the fuel system’s capability and the aircraft’s agility. But what happened between the negative-G turn and the transition to level flight needs deeper examination,” he said.
Investigators will analyse multiple video angles and synchronise them frame-by-frame with flight data to determine the exact cause.
Chopra, himself a seasoned test pilot, explained that airshow flying differs from test flying. “In airshows, you fly much closer to the ground. Aerobatic display pilots perform to impress global professionals watching closely. It demands a high degree of maturity and absolute confidence in the aircraft,” he said.
The Tejas, positioned as the IAF’s next frontline fighter after the phasing out of the MiG-21, has had an exceptional safety record. In 24 years, this is only the aircraft’s second crash—the first occurred in Jaisalmer in March 2024.
Designed to be inherently unstable for greater agility, Tejas relies heavily on an advanced fly-by-wire system to maintain stability—another aspect investigators will now scrutinize closely.