A Sukhoi-30MKI fighter jet crashed on Wednesday in Nashik, Maharashtra. The pilot and co-pilot got out safely but suffered minor injuries.The plane crashed in a field near the village of Shirasgaon, a senior police official said.
Footage showed a plume of smoke rising after the plane crashed into a field. The twin-engine plane was on fire and people were gathering near the crash site.
STORY | IAF’s Sukhoi fighter crashes in Nashik; pilot, co-pilot eject safely
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The aircraft took off from Ozar in Nashik, Maharashtra and was on a test flight after undergoing extensive repairs by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), sources told NDTV.
The pilots reported a technical failure of the plane.
Sources added that the Su-30MKI was not currently in the inventory of the Indian Air Force.
Police and EMS have arrived and the teachers are being treated.
Sukhoi’s Ejection System
The Su-30MKI uses the Russian-built Zvezda K-36DM zero-zero nuclear power plant ejection seat.
The zero-zero function was developed to help pilots escape unrecoverable situations during low or slow flight and ground accidents during takeoff or landing. This feature is said to be one of the advanced abort features that allows pilots to eject safely.
The exit point is part of the general “Exit” system, which means “way out”. The system includes explosives under the seat, canopy and parachutes. The exit angle is crucial. The fighter moves forward and the throw line is perpendicular to it to move the pilot away from the aircraft.
During the attack phase, pilots experience g-forces up to 20 times greater than on the ground, which can cause serious injuries and even prevent flight.
The extent of the injuries sustained by Su-30MKI pilots in today’s Turma is unclear.
Mainstay of the IAF
The Su-30 forms the backbone of the Indian Air Force, with more than 200 aircraft operating in several squadrons in the country.
The Sukhoi fighter jet is a twin-engine, two-seat, fourth-generation fighter jet manufactured in Russia. The aircraft is built under license from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). It has been in service with the Air Force for over 20 years and has undergone several upgrades, the latest being the MKI version..
