IAF's Surya Kiran trainer aircraft crashes in Karnataka, pilots ejected; inquiry ordered

A Surya Kiran trainer aircraft of the Indian Air Force crashed on Thursday near Bogapura village in the Chamrajnagar district of Karnataka. The crash happened during a routine training sortie. The two pilots, including one lady pilot, escaped and ejected themselves from the flight before the crash, India Today reported. 

The Indian Air Force (IAF), in a tweet, said that a court of inquiry had been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident. "A Kiran trainer aircraft of the IAF crashed near Chamrajnagar, Karnataka today,  while on a routine training sortie. Both aircrews ejected safely. A Court of Inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident."

This comes nearly a month after a MiG 21 fighter aircraft of the IAF crashed on a house in the Hanumangarh district of Rajasthan, killing three women dead and many injured on the ground. The pilot, who ejected from the plane, made all efforts to avert human casualties and crash-landed the plane on the outskirts of a village, Bikaner range IG Om Prakash said.  

"Three women have died in the incident and three others are injured," he had said.  The IAF said: "The pilot ejected safely, sustaining minor injuries. An inquiry has been constituted to ascertain the cause of the accident." 

(Story to be updated)