NEW DELHI: The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Saturday grounded the entire fleet of its MiG-21 combat
aircraft within days of an accident involving one of the fighters of the same version. IAF sources termed it a precautionary measure.
“All the MiG squadrons have been asked to ground the fighters for a one-time check to obviate any chance of a likely snag,” said a source. The process will take time as all the aircraft have to undergo the process, added the source.
A court of inquiry pertaining to the recent accident that took place on May 8 in Rajasthan was underway to ascertain the cause of the accident. Three civilians were killed as a MiG-21 crashed near Rajasthan’s Suratgarh during a routine training sortie on May 8.
Soon after getting airborne, the pilot experienced an emergency, following which he attempted to recover the aircraft as per existing procedures. “Having failed to do so, he initiated an ejection, sustaining minor injuries in the process.”
While the pilot was recovered, the aircraft wreckage fell on a house in Bahlol Nagar in Hanumangarh district, leading to the death of three civilians. Explaining the one-time check, the sources said if the people involved with the investigation feel that there could be a minor chance of some snag occurring in other similar versions of the aircraft, then such a step is taken to remove any such possibility.
Out of the current operations strength of 31 combat squadrons of the IAF, there are three squadrons of the
MiG version. Keeping the high rate of accidents in recent times, the IAF is in the process of gradually phasing out all the squadrons of MiG fighters by 2025. The first of the Russian-designed MiG, which is single-engine multi-role fighter/ground attack fighter, was first inducted in 1963. Gradually, around 800 MiG version fighters were inducted.