A Jaguar trainer aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed during a routine training mission in Rajasthan’s Churu district on Wednesday afternoon, resulting in the tragic death of both pilots on board. The aircraft went down in an agricultural field near Bhanoda village around 1:25 pm, with no reported damage to civilian property, according to the IAF. A court of inquiry has been constituted to determine the cause of the accident, and the IAF expressed deep condolences to the families affected.
This incident follows a similar crash in April involving a two-seater Jaguar aircraft, which went down shortly after takeoff from Jamnagar Airfield during a night mission. In that case, the pilots experienced a technical malfunction mid-flight and ejected to avoid damage to the airfield and nearby areas. Unfortunately, one pilot, Flight Lieutenant Siddharth Yadav, succumbed to injuries from the ejection, while the other pilot was injured but survived.
Earlier, in March 2025, an IAF fighter jet crashed during a routine training sortie in Haryana’s Panchkula district. These consecutive incidents highlight ongoing challenges faced during training missions, prompting continued investigations and safety assessments by the Indian Air Force.
