CHENNAI: A Pilatus PC-7 Mk-II trainer aircraft of the Indian Air Force’s Flying Instructors School (FIS) located at the Air Force Station in Tambaram crashed near Thiruporur in Chengalpattu district, about 40 km from Chennai, on Friday afternoon during a routine training sortie.
A defence spokesperson said that the pilot on board ejected safely without major injuries. Emergency teams were rushed to the scene to secure the crash site, and the IAF has ordered a Court of Inquiry to ascertain the cause of the accident.
A police officer told TNIE that the aircraft crashed on an open patch near a salt unit around 2pm. “The pilot escaped unhurt and was taken to a government hospital for treatment,” the officer said.
Efforts to recover aircraft’s black box from crash site to resume today
He added that nearly 30 workers were present inside the factory at the time. “Had the aircraft hit the building, it could have resulted in serious casualties. Fortunately, no one was injured,” he said. The debris of the crashed aircraft was found scattered across the area.
Air Force personnel soon reached the site and began preliminary inquiries. Police sources said the search for the aircraft’s black box is under way. With fading light hampering operations, the recovery effort was suspended on Friday evening and will resume on Saturday.
An eyewitness said that he heard a loud noise. “I did not see the aircraft fall, but when I reached the area, there was nobody near the wreckage. The ground was muddy and parts of the aircraft had sunk into it,” he said.