IAF trainer aircraft crashes, pilot is safe

Hyderabad: An Indian Air Force (IAF) training aircraft on a routine flight on Thursday crashed in a secluded place in Telangana's Medchal district before bursting into flames, but the pilot is safe, police said.

The accident occurred around 11:45 am in Ankireddypalli village, about 30 km from the Telangana capital, but the pilot ejected safely before the crash.

The Kiran trainer aircraft had taken off from the Air Force Station at Hakimpet here, ACP (Kushaiguda Division) Syed Rafeeq said.

"The pilot, identified as Aman Pandey, ejected safely using a parachute. The aircraft crashed around 2 km from the point where the pilot ejected. It crashed in an isolated place near an agricultural field and erupted in flames," Rafeeq, said after visiting the crash site.

The officer said there was no damage on the ground as there were no houses or people at the place where the airplane crashed.

The ACP cited a villager who had spotted the aircraft flying low and later heard a loud explosion.