Pilot falls on burning MiG wreck, dies

A test pilot was killed and a flight test engineer had a miraculous escape today when a bird hit their MiG-21 while taking off at HAL Airpor...

A test pilot was killed and a flight test engineer had a miraculous escape today when a bird hit their MiG-21 while taking off at HAL Airport here. Although the two ejected, the parachute of Test Pilot Sq Ldr Murthy of the Aircraft System and Training Establishment (ASTE) drifted into a ball of fire and got detached, as a result of which he fell on the ground and died.

The incident occurred around 12.45 pm. The MiG-21 from ASTE was on a routine training sortie. Sq Ldr K.R. Murthy and flight test engineer Sq Ldr K.D. Bhat, who was sitting behind him, ejected after take-off at a height of 30-50 metres when they experienced a sudden loss of thrust and the aircraft veered to the left.

“The aircraft hit the ground 100 metres ahead on the shoulder of the runway,” IAF spokesperson Wg Cdr V M Raghunath said.

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“Winds from the north led to Sq Leader’s Murthy’s parachute being led inadvertently into the fireball which enveloped the aircraft immediately after the impact. As he went through the fireball and his parachute caught fire, he got detached from the parachute,” Wg Cdr Raghunath said, adding that the black box has been recovered.

‘‘This is the first accident involving MiG-21 this year. Prima facie, the cause of the accident is a bird hit as a part of the bird’s carcass was found on the runway just short of the point at which the pilot initiated ejection. It seems the bird got sucked into the engine.’’

A Court of Inquiry, headed by Air Cmde P B Patel, has been ordered.

The airport had to be closed for two hours.

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