An Indian Air Force (IAF) Pilatus PC-7 trainer aircraft crashed near Tambaram in Chengalpattu district on Friday afternoon during a routine training mission.
The pilot managed to eject safely, and no injuries or damage to civilian property have been reported.
The crash occurred around 2:25pm, according to the IAF. Locals rushed to the site after hearing the impact, where debris from the PC-7 was seen scattered across an open area. A video shared by PTI on X showed damaged parts of the aircraft lying on the ground as residents gathered nearby.
The IAF immediately confirmed the incident and stated that the aircraft was on a standard training sortie when it crashed.
IAF orders investigation
In an official statement, the Indian Air Force said: “An Indian Air Force PC-7 Mk II trainer aircraft met with an accident during a routine training mission and crashed at about 1425 Hr near Tambaram, Chennai, today. The pilot ejected safely, and no damage to civil property has been reported. A Court of Inquiry has been constituted to ascertain the cause of the accident.”
The PC-7 Mk II is a Swiss-made basic trainer aircraft used by the IAF for pilot training.
Recent IAF aircraft crashes raise concern
This incident adds to a series of aircraft accidents reported by the IAF in 2025.
- On February 6, a Mirage 2000 trainer jet crashed during a training sortie in Shivpuri, Madhya Pradesh; both pilots ejected safely.
- In July, two IAF pilots were killed when a Jaguar fighter aircraft crashed near Bhanuda village in Rajasthan’s Churu district.
- The July crash marked the third Jaguar accident of 2025, following earlier crashes in Ambala (Panchkula) in March and near Jamnagar in April.
The frequency of incidents has prompted renewed calls for review of maintenance, training and fleet upgrade protocols.
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