Air Marshal survives Mirage crash in MP

Feb 25, 2012 - Age Correspondent |

New Delhi

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Air Marshal Anil Chopra had a narrow escape on Friday when the Mirage- 2000 fighter aircraft he was jointly piloting crashed near Bhind, Madhya Pradesh, on Friday after suspected engine failure.

Air Marshal Chopra, who is the IAF’s Air Officer-in-Charge, Personnel, and Wing Commander Ram Kumar ejected safely. The IAF has ordered a court of inquiry into the crash.

The crash occurred at 12.10 pm about 50 km northeast of Gwalior after the aircraft took off from the Gwalior airbase and was on a routine training-flying mission.

“There was no damage to civil property and no individual was injured/killed as a result of the air crash,” the IAF stated. IAF sources said the two had pilots had not suffered injuries but were taken to hospital for a thorough check-up, as per procedure.

IAF sources said Air Mshl Chopra is the ‘most qualified Mirage-2000 pilot in the IAF’ and also the ‘Commodore Commandant’ of the first squadron of the French-origin Mirage-2000 aircraft inducted in 1984.

Defence sources said there was ‘nothing unusual’ in top IAF officers flying fighter aircraft. Air Mshl Chopra will now have to make a statement before the CoI. This is the first time in the past several years that an IAF officer of the rank of air marshal has piloted an aircraft that crashed. Air Mshl Chopra was apparently seated in the rear seat in the cockpit.

India is getting its Mirage-2000 fighter aircraft fleet upgraded by French companies.

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