Retd. Captain Shyam Kumar, Defence & Flight Safety Expert, shares his expert analysis on the tragic crash of the LCA Tejas MK 1A during the Dubai Air Show 2025. He highlights that the pilot performs highly challenging maneuvers to impress potential international buyers, showcasing India’s aerospace advancements. The expert firmly states that he does not think an error of judgment by pilot.
00:00Based on the initial information in the video which we have seen, what possible technical or operational factors could have led to this incident?
00:30The aircraft, Tejas Mark I, is one of the best aircraft that India has produced. We have two squadrons in operation. Sulur squadron is operating well. We have seen its performance during Operation Sindhur in air defence role and many other roles.
00:48We have been banking upon this aircraft to see it into the light with more than 230 aircrafts, although 40 of them are already with air force and flying.
01:00I also understand that India when decides to participate in air show, 40th anniversary air show of Emirates at Dubai, the best of the fighter pilots are selected, trained and experience gained by them are at display during such air shows.
01:20Therefore, I also understand the error on the part of pilot is generally ruled out. Although there will be enquiry and there could be more evidences, there could be many factors which would reveal the real self of the accident.
01:38So we will have to wait for it and then only we will be able to analyse the real cause of the accident.
01:45I must say, as per as flight safety record of the aircraft is concerned, we measure it into 10,000 hours of flying versus aircraft. This is the second crash of the Tejas and this is the first fatal crash of the Tejas Mark I aircraft in Indian Air Force history.
02:05So I must say that it is a safety proven aircraft thrust-wise, maneuverability-wise, flying skills-wise of the pilot and its performance that we have seen in past few years.
02:19So I have to wait. People have to wait. And in an air show like Dubai, where there are international presence, this may roll into many gossips, which I must like to curb at this moment and wait for the code of inquiry to say the evidences and the results or the cause of the fatal accident.
02:43Indeed, sir. We have also seen the video in which the aircraft is very close to the ground, sir. We are also getting the information that we have lost our brave pilot. He is no more with us, sir.
03:00So how do you see the failure to inject from the aircraft, sir? What possible reasons could have led to the failure and injection, sir?
03:12Well, as I said, as I said, aircraft was in a Dubai air show in a display mode and the best of the maneuvers are undertaken during such maneuvers because we are displaying our might, our credible aircraft performance to the many witnesses.
03:33There are many, 150 nations were participating in this air show. They were looking at this aircraft as a potential buyer for their own country.
03:43So obviously the maneuvers were at a high stake and the pilots must be displaying its best. And this aircraft, as you see in the videos, which have been on display through media, which I have seen,
03:54the aircraft was doing its maneuver, which was close to the ground and probably trying to place itself for the next maneuver during the roll, the barrel roll.
04:04It was almost in an advertent roll, you can say, or wings were, but I can always say that the aircraft was under full control of the pilot.
04:16I don't think there was any G-LOC or any unconscious situation of the pilot. The pilot must have tried to maneuver the aircraft to recover it from the lower height to the next maneuver.
04:27At that moment, the aircraft has been, has gone out of control and crashed into the, into the ground and rolled forward as it has lot of forward speed.
04:36It has not gone vertically down, as you say in the video. So chances of ejection also could be very, very, the time of level would be very less for the pilot.
04:47Probably he was very sure that he will recover the aircraft close to the, from the close to the ground to a higher height and place itself for the next maneuver.
04:55So whether it is a technical slag, engine failure or stalling or control failure or a, lastly you can say the error of judgment, which is a very, very, I don't think that could be because of the pilot was very, very competent.
05:09So all this would be revealed during the code of inquiry and we must wait for that to tell us about the exact cause of the accident.
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