IAF orders CoI into HPT-32 crash killing woman pilot

New Delhi, May 13 (UNI) The Indian Air Force (IAF) has ordered a Court of Inquiry into the crash of a trainer aircraft in which a woman flying cadet was killed during a routine training flight near Hyderabad yesterday.

Flying cadet Deepika Sharma was conducting a solo flight during the first stage flying training when her HPT-32 aircraft nose-dived into the ground barely minutes after the take-off near the Air Force Academy in Hyderabad yesterday afternoon.

IAF officials believed that a technical snag had developed in the aircraft that resulted in the accident.

The IAF has instituted a detailed Court of Inquiry into the crash.

This was the second fatal crash involving a woman pilot.

Flying Officer Harita Deol was killed when her Avro transport aircraft crashed near Chennai on a ferry flight to Hyderabad.

While women officers could fly helicopters and transport aircraft, they were not allowed to qualify as fighter pilots.

UNI AG BDP DS1306