West Bengal: IAF's trainer jet crashes, both pilots eject safely

Kolkata, Aug 4: A Hawk Advanced Trainer of Indian Air Force on Thursday crashed. Reportedly the plane crashed during take off at IAF base in Kalaikunda, West Bengal.

IAF sources said that the aircraft developed a technical problem at about 1100 hours, minutes after taking off from Kalaikunda air station in West Bengal, where another Hawk had crashed in June last year.

The crash occurred within the boundary of the air station, 138 kms from here, and the two pilots ejected safely, they said.

"A Court of Inquiry has been instituted into the crash," an IAF source said.

Last year in June, another Hawk had crashed after taking off from Kalaikunda station as it developed a technical problem. Budding fighter pilots undergo their stage-III training for a year on Hawk.

OneIndia News

(With inputs from PTI)