IAF’s Jaguar aircraft suffers bird hit, lands safely in Ambala

Tribune News Service

Ambala, June 27

A tragedy was averted after an Indian Air Force Jaguar fighter jet was forced to make an emergency landing following a bird hit here today.

As one of the two jet engines stalled after being hit by the bird, the pilot landed back safely after jettisoning external fuel tanks and 10-kg training bombs at IAF airbase here, the officials said.

The incident took place early this morning when the Jaguar took off on a training sortie. The aircraft was approaching the boundary wall of the airbase when the bird hit the engine and got stuck.

Panic gripped the area as jettisoned payload fell on the roof of a house and in the street.

IAF officials with police, fire brigade and ambulance rushed to the scene and a search operation was launched in the residential areas. IAF officials said the pilot made an emergency landing at the airbase.

The local police said the payload fell in inhabited area without causing any damage.

A court of inquiry will be ordered, said an IAF official.

3rd incident this month

• This is the third incident linked to IAF Jaguar this month. On June 5, a jet on a routine training mission from Jamnagar crashed at Bareja village near Mundra in Gujarat, killing a pilot, Air Commodore Sanjay Chauhan
• On June 8, a jet developed a technical snag before landing at the Jamnagar airbase in Gujarat. The pilot of the jet, on a routine training mission, was rescued