Indian Tejas fighter crash - Dubai airshow - fatal

[edo2000]

Indian fighter jet crashes during a demo flight at Dubai Air Show, killing the pilot

The pilot of an Indian combat plane has died after a crash during a demonstration flight at the Dubai Air Show

abcnews.go.com

 

[AV8R_87]

You know, every time I tell myself that US airshows are too canned/sanitized, this sort of stuff reminds me why they're that way.

 

[bonefishpete]

You know, every time I tell myself that US airshows are too canned/sanitized, this sort of stuff reminds me why they're that way.

Meh if it doesn’t wipe at least 25 spectators it’s a non event.

 

[tobnpr]

Negative G turn gone bad.

Fatal Crash Of India’s Tejas Light Fighter Mars Dubai Airshow

The Indian jet was executing a low-level maneuver when it plunged into the ground and erupted in a fireball. The Indian jet was executing a low-level manuever when it plunged into the ground and erupted in a fireball.

www.twz.com

 

[FlightmechH3]

I'm seeing a lot of comments (elsewhere) that the pilot was not at fault and the U.S./GE caused the crash due to a faulty engine and the ejection seat didn't work.

The pilot was not even incapacitated by G-lock, he was an idiot. See Poland F16 crash in August.

 

[Kenny Phillips]

I'm seeing a lot of comments (elsewhere) that the pilot was not at fault and the U.S./GE caused the crash due to a faulty engine and the ejection seat didn't work.

The pilot was not even incapacitated by G-lock, he was an idiot. See Poland F16 crash in August.

I've seen comments that the plane was too low for the pilot to eject. Except for that M-D zero/zero ejection seat, of course.

 

[nauga]

Except for that M-D zero/zero ejection seat, of course.

Don’t know what seat is in that particular model but zero-zero seats are typically only zero (airspeed)-zero (AGL) at zero sink rate and zero bank angle. Neither of these conditions is assured when bottoming out of a maneuver like the one in this case. It also didn’t look like ejection was initiated whether in or out of envelope, which is also too often the case. We’ll see, maybe.

Nauga,
handling it

 

[Kenny Phillips]

Don’t know what seat is in that particular model but zero-zero seats are typically only zero (airspeed)-zero (AGL) at zero sink rate and zero bank angle. Neither of these conditions is assured when bottoming out of a maneuver like the one in this case. It also didn’t look like ejection was initiated whether in or out of envelope, which is also too often the case. We’ll see, maybe.

Nauga,
handling it

One would hope that the pilot would "see it coming". But that does not appear to be the case.

 

[kyleb]

One would hope that the pilot would "see it coming". But that does not appear to be the case.

Yeah, to me it didn't look like he pulled all of the AOA I figured he could have pulled at the end. I wonder if he thought he had it made...and didn't.

 

[FlightmechH3]

 

[Flying Keys]

View attachment 147435

Is there a grip up there or is that involuntary?

 

[FlightmechH3]

Is there a grip up there or is that involuntary?

Towel bar.

 

[Fearless Tower]

If you compare the video that still was taken from with the other video floating around of the same pilot doing the same routine previously, the difference is that on the accident flight after that knife edge pass, when he starts the roll to the right, the nose noticeably drops below the horizontal when he gets inverted as if he pulled back on the stick. He then completes the roll and goes wings level and tries to pull out but doesn't have the altitude to recover.

The nose drop while inverted doesn't happen on his previous flight. The routine was supposed to be a quick roll followed by a left turn away from the show line.

The other thing I noticed is his control inputs/movements in general were not as smooth as they were on previous routines.

Also floating around are photos of the accident airplane allegedly take shortly before the flight with ground crew covering the ground with absorbent matting to catch some noticeable leaks (possibly hydraulic).

 

[kyleb]

The nose drop while inverted doesn't happen on his previous flight. The routine was supposed to be a quick roll followed by a left turn away from the show line.

Inverted and near the ground isn't where I want to be unless I'm heading uphill at a pretty good angle with velocity to match.